The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare
by Unknownred
Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! I expect REVIEWS! Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto or its characters, except my own.
1. Prologue

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: Hey, thanks for being patient. It's been awhile since I last updated. Well, I thought you guys deserved more than a one shot. Anyway, please RxR!

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Prologue

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It has been exactly a year filled with pranks, more dares and threats of blackmailing each other that Sakura couldn't think of what _could_ be the best medicine for Sasuke. Sakura sat in her chair, half listening to her teacher lecture about equations while her friends sat separately from her, shooting her weird looks. Sakura raised a brow and looked up. Ino sat near the front, towards the door and motioned with her eyes to the right. Again, Sakura was confused and gave Ino a questioning look.

Ino opened her mouth and then closed it when the teacher turned to her direction. She pretended to stretch in her seat and turned back around towards the blackboard. Sakura's lip curved up and she couldn't help but laugh silently at Ino's fake act.

Sakura grabbed her pencil and began fiddling with it, letting it twirl through her fingers. Sighing, Sakura looked around the room and caught Hinata's gaze concentrated on her seatmate adjacent to her left. Naruto. Sakura blinked and smiled at the thought of Hinata actually having the nerve to ask Naruto out. She should, it would make her world bright, literally bright.

"Miss Haruno," The teacher snapped her out of her reverie, and motioned to the equation on the board, "Please come up and finish this equation for everyone."

Sakura, who was surprised to be picked among the students, stood up almost too abruptly and nodded. Embarrassed at the attention the teacher had cast on her, she cursed silently at herself as she makes her way to the front and takes the chalk from her teacher and looks at the numbers and letters on the board.

Biting her bottom lip, Sakura made a note to pay closer attention to the teacher even if she was half tuning him out and daydreaming at the same time. Licking her lips, Sakura calculated the formula in her head and scrunched her face at the answer. A negative.

"Maybe you should start paying more attention to how I'm demonstrating—" The teacher began but his words soon faded away as he watched Sakura write the answer on the board.

NO SOLUTION. Sakura turns to the teacher and gives him a smirk, "You didn't let me finish."

With a twirl, Sakura turns to the class and sees Ino covering her face with her baby blue notebook as she tries to stifle her giggles, and as for the rest of her friends, Hinata had a simple smile on her face with a blush spreading across her cheeks; TenTen was in the same row as Temari and they both were giving Sakura funny faces. Sakura grins and does a little peace sign before heading back to her seat. On her way to her desk, she catches the eyes of Sasuke Uchiha, her neighbor and the mayor's son, who happens to sit behind her and whose face is half covered by his folded hands in concentration. Ignoring the mysterious, awkward gaze, Sakura reaches her desk and as she sits down, Kiba who sits beside her, leans over and whispers a good job to her while holding out a five, and Sakura slaps it with her own hand.

For the remainder of the time being, Sakura sat in her math class, listening to her teacher rant away about more and more equations and new formulas. She didn't have to listen though because the teacher didn't bother asking her to answer anymore hard questions, probably because he was still embarrassed from his earlier accusation. Despite all the funny gazes Sakura's been receiving from her friends, Sakura had caught Ino's eyes traveling behind her.

Turning her head, Sakura sees Sasuke scribbling away in his notebook. Half the time, she wonders if he's actually paying attention to the teacher, or maybe he's writing something else. Curious, Sakura observes how calm and angelic he looks with his raven bangs covering his eyes. She watches a second later as he breathes out a huff and slams his pen down. Quickly, she turns her eyes aside where the clock was stuck to the wall, hoping Sasuke hadn't notice her quick peek at him. Humming out a sigh, Sakura leans back and flicks her hair behind her.

"Do you mind?" She hears a grunt behind her. She smiles and faces him, "Do you?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes and continues scribbling something in his notebook before closing it and placing it in his book bag. He stands just as the teacher announces that the bell is about to ring in five…four… three… two…

After the bell rings, Sakura and her friends head out of math class and make their way to the courtyard which includes the different clichés hanging around during lunch hour. Ino, who looked suspiciously hyper earlier, jumped on Sakura making her teeter against TenTen who, despite her incredible balance, surprisingly falls to the ground, her school supplies scattering to the floor and the power juice she was holding, rolls away.

"Sakura, what the—!" TenTen raised her voice, catching a few students' attention close to them. TenTen sits up as Hinata kneels down and starts picking up TenTen's things as Temari walked over to her and helps her up.

"It's Ino's fault!" Sakura yanked Ino's arm off from around her shoulders, "Not me, blame her. …Ino, get off of me!"

TenTen thanks Hinata after she places her school materials in Ten's backpack. TenTen then shoots a quick glare at Ino who smiles innocently to her, "Sorry, Ten. I didn't know you were distracted to even fall like that."

"I wasn't distracted," TenTen gave her a weird look but when Ino wiggled her eye brows and nodded her head across the yard where the boys hanged out, TenTen hushed up.

Sakura, Hinata and Temari looked from TenTen and Ino, to where Ino was referring to. Across from them stood the boys in order, Kiba who stood on the far right from the group was talking to Naruto about something funny while Shikamaru leaned against the fence between Sasuke and Naruto, staring at the sky and Neji, who stood on the far left, was making light conversation with Sasuke.

"Wow." Temari began and noted the obvious, "They look like the cool kids from an anime; the ones all the girls adore and want to be their girlfriends…"

"Did we not discuss this before?" Sakura muttered, her eyes landing on Sasuke, his eyes flickering away as he spoke to Neji.

The four girls nodded, agreeing. Ino pouted, "Too bad our lives couldn't be anime… We'd totally rock and be absolutely gorgeous!"

Temari and TenTen gave Ino a cheeky look, shaking their heads at their friend as Hinata and Sakura sweat dropped.

"Oi, Hinata!" A voice called.

The five girls snapped their attention to the voice from across them. Naruto, who wore a bright orange hoodie and blue jeans, was headed towards them, followed by his friends who looked bored and cool at the same time. Hinata was the first to gasp and began to blush madly.

"N-N-Naruto!" Hinata eeped as Naruto swung an arm around her shoulders and turned her around, facing her friends. Neji, who came up behind Naruto, hit him across the back of his head, "Dude, get your hands off my cousin."

Naruto whined and used his occupied hand around Hinata's shoulder to rub his injury. Hinata shied away from the two, ignoring the disapproval Neji was sending towards her. TenTen walked over to Neji and started talking to him about weapons and such. Sakura still kept her gaze on the smirking Uchiha, growling at his superior. Ino noticed, but didn't do anything about it since Sakura and Sasuke had a history of pranks for each other. She thinks it's their way of showing their love for each other.

"It's been awhile, Haruno." Sasuke spoke, his eyes trailing down Sakura's features and checked her out. Sakura's nose twitched as she did the same to Sasuke but in a more mocking way of showing her disgust.

"It's only been a day, Uchiha." Sakura snorted and rolled her eyes at him. "Get over yourself."

Ever since a year ago, and five months before, Sakura was depressed and angry about her first kiss being taken away by Uchiha Sasuke, himself. Who wouldn't be angry, if a certain someone you detest steals something valuable from you? That led back to Sakura's thoughts of the final game. What should she plan, how will she plan it? Will Sasuke cooperate? He has to, or else… Sakura glared hard up at his tall figure. Why was he tall, again? He should be shorter, that way she could swipe that smirk off his face. He was a pest to her, after all.

"It seems I'm not the only one." Sasuke snickered, locking eyes with emerald ones, "Take a picture, it lasts longer."

Sakura's heart jumped from the comeback which almost made her jump attack him. Oh, the nerves of talking to her like that, as if she was one of his fan girls. Sakura made a gagging noise and turns her back on him. Noticing half the group which included TenTen, Temari, Neji and Shikamaru had disappeared from her absence; she didn't think she was staring in space that long… but the only remaining people beside her was Naruto who was talking animatedly with Hinata about ramen and stuff; and the two love birds staring googily-eyed at each other whom were Kiba and Ino.

"Oh!" Ino gasped aloud, breaking her gaze with Kiba and snapped her attention to Sakura, "Sakura, I almost forgot!"

Hinata glanced at Sakura as well; her attention now intrigued as Sakura dropped her dumb expression and questioned Ino. Ino smiled and waved Sakura over to her. Sasuke, on the other hand, watched the intervention between Ino and Sakura. Naruto was still talking about ramen, but he didn't seem to notice that Hinata wasn't listening to him at all. Sakura leaned in as Ino whispered something into her ear. Sakura immensely blushed and glanced back at Sasuke before quickly looking away. "Wh—"

"Shh…" Ino held up a hand, and whispered more into Sakura's ear.

"The girls already know," Ino finally pulled away and eyed Hinata behind Sakura, who jumped slightly at her hard gaze. Sakura glanced between Ino and Hinata and even gave Sasuke a shrug. Whatever Ino was planning, she didn't tell Sakura but grabbed Kiba's hand and started walking away, only to call back before turning around a corner to go inside, "Meet at my house at six, alright?"

Before Sakura could answer, Ino was out of range and out of sight to even hear her answer. "But, I have nursery duty…"

Hinata walked up to Sakura and patted her shoulder, "Sakura, it's alright… this time, we made sure Ino didn't go too far with her plans."

Sakura snorted, "We're talking about Ino here…"

Hinata nodded slowly and looked over to Sasuke, "That's true… But at least you won't be alone."

Sakura stood there dumbfounded, and very, very confused. What did Hinata mean by her not being alone? Was there someone besides her that didn't know what Ino, Temari, TenTen and Hinata were up to? Sakura's mind reeled with questions as she stared at the empty courtyard, few people idling as the bell rings. What was the big deal anyway? Besides, why did Ino leave her out of her plans? Sakura could've helped out… unless this twist of fate was directed towards her self.

Gaping at the outcome that struck her inner antennae, Sakura snapped her eyes to the retreating backs of Naruto and Hinata walking to their next classes, "Hina… crap!"

"Slow, Pinky." Sasuke coughed from behind her.

"Shut up, Chicken Butt!" Sakura spins to see him frown at her nickname and glares up at him, "And don't call me that."

Sasuke's lip curves as he smirks and leans forward, his face inches away from hers. He whispers, their eyes locking. "What_ever_ do you mean, Sa-ku-ra?" Sakura could feel her cheeks flush from the way he said her name but she gritted her teeth from showing the reaction Sasuke was looking for.

"Whatever, SasuGay." Sakura broke into a grin and pushed him away. She winks and turns to go, "Don't try acting like you're straight; there are many guys here that are dying for your hand."

Laughing at her joke, Sakura walks a few feet before she feels her wrist being wrapped by his warm, large hands. She falls back and to prevent herself from spinning, she does a quick spin and balances herself by his hold, facing a stubborn Sasuke. Sasuke held up a finger against her lips and hushes her, "Careful, your words are dripping to your feet."

Sakura's eyes widen at the insult Sasuke threw at her. Sure, she didn't have big breasts like Hinata's but that doesn't mean she didn't have a curve, a figure no less! She felt the corner of her lips twitch downwards but she didn't want Sasuke to have the satisfaction of getting to her. "You know what, Sasuke? I'll never forget the first time we met— although, I'll keep trying.*"

Sasuke used his hush finger to sweep across her cheek and trail up to her bangs, only to brush them aside, "Want me to help?"

Sakura paused and stared at him with an expression of seriousness as the school bell rang again. They were late now— that was the tardy bell and the third bell means detention if you don't have a pass. But she didn't care at the moment; Sasuke was with her, staring down at her with equal seriousness in his eyes too.

This seemed too familiar to Sakura though. Recalling all those times that Sakura and Sasuke had been through, starting from Ino's dare to Naruto's curious kiss magazine to just playing jokes on each other and adding a little mockery to each game. If only Sakura could get back at him for all his wrongdoings, if only Sakura could end it all…

"_Sakura quit staring! Guys like girls who are hard to get." Ino whispered in Sakura's ear, gripping Sakura's arm so she wouldn't escape from her grasp, "Play it well, Sakura… Sasuke is __**so **__into you."_

_Sakura immensely blushed and glanced back at Sasuke before quickly looking away. "Wh—"_

"_Shh…" Ino held up a hand, and whispered some more, "I'm not finished. Sakura, you may look mad at Sasuke, but I noticed… you look madly in love with him. Hehe, no seriously. Sasuke might be a player but he got standards and you're the only one, besides Karin, who seems to get his attention… it seems serious. We need to talk."_

That's what Ino said, and announcing that out of the blue that she's having a meeting at her house during the time Sakura has nursery duty, something was up; something big. And it had to do with her… and _him_.

But this could not wait, Sakura had enough patience for a lifetime, but whatever Ino was planning that had anything to do with her and Sasuke… oh no, she will find out. What standards did Sasuke have besides tolerance for her comebacks? Yeah, he was a player and he liked teasing her whenever he had the chance, but still… it's not like Sasuke was in love with her or anything… or was he?

Sakura raises a brow at him. He does the same and crosses his arms, making himself seem intimidating but really, he's curious upon what she's thinking on. "Okay."

"Okay?" Sasuke questioned, looking down at her with a crossed expression. She giggled slightly and gave him a small smile, "You can help me."

'Okay…?' Sasuke was definitely not expecting that from her. Curious to what she was about to say, Sasuke concentrates his eyes on her lips as they move, "I got a proposition for you."

"Hn?"

"I know you're a player," Sakura begins, now grinning madly, "So let's play a game, once and for all."

Intrigued by her proposal, Sasuke smirks with amusement in his eyes, "I'm listening."

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Part One: TBC

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A/N: What do you think? I know it's not the 'beat around the bush' one shots I've been writing previous. Feed back me!

P.S. – HEADS UP! The **asteroids** (*) signify the comebacks made by different people and are not my own.


	2. Part One

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: How was the prologue? Did it perk your interests? Well then, sit back and get ready to laugh; this story begins now. Please RxR!

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Part One

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"_I know you're a player," Sakura begins, now grinning madly, "So let's play a game, once and for all."_

_Intrigued by her proposal, Sasuke smirks with amusement in his eyes, "I'm listening."_

"That's what you told him!" Ino erupted, her eyes widen as she took in the deal Sakura has made with Sasuke. "_Why _would you do such an awful thing to yourself?"

Why, indeed. After school, Sakura went home to gather her belongings and then called up her job and told them she wasn't feeling well. When she was excused from nursery duty, Sakura headed straight to Ino's place, where the meeting slash sleepover is held. It didn't matter if it was a school night, or if either of the girls had to put off their work to get where they are now. When Ino decides something, she doesn't go back on her word. Once everyone was settled in Ino's living room, Ino announced that everyone should gather themselves into a circle as she announces the meetings purpose. She began with how the meeting evolved around the love rivals and how they can help those two get together. At that moment, Sakura had burst in a fit of disagreement but Ino continued on, ignoring her outbursts and started up the plan in which Sakura should initiate by being the 'bad girl' type (which she wasn't already). _"I struck a deal with Sasuke after you guys left!" _But now, Ino was speechless, no less, feeling stupefied because Sakura had went and done something so horrible to herself— without Ino's support, of course.

"You didn't even let us in on what you had planned!" Ino cried out, her face filled with disbelief, "What if you can't handle it and end up losing?"

Sakura lies on her stomach between Hinata and Temari, with an open book in front of her. Hinata fumbles with the anklet she received from Temari for Christmas. Temari, on the other hand, sits cross legged, texting away on her iphone. Across from her, TenTen was plopped on her side, playing with a pocket knife adjacent to her left, left Ino looking like a shriveled pig at Sakura's sudden announcement.

"_That_ won't happen." Sakura snorted and rolled her eyes, "Even if it did, well then that's the end of everything. No more jokes, blackmail, and no more dealing with Sasuke."

"Well, I gotta say Sakura," Temari began, dropping her phone into her lap, "You came up with a game better than what we thought up."

Ino growled and flopped back into her sleeping bag. "Sakura," She groaned, "How could you betray us?"

Sakura peeked over the book she was reading and sighed, "Ino… who came up with the previous plan?"

Everyone in the circle stayed silent and then as if on cue, pointed at Ino. Ino sat up, with her elbows propped under her weight, "What?! Oh, thanks guys, feel the support."

"My point exactly," Sakura declared, "Ino… your plans, they—"

"They what?" Ino urged Sakura, narrowing her eyes at her. Sakura breaks her gaze and goes back to reading. "They suck?"

TenTen hums and rolls over towards Hinata. Temari and Hinata don't make eye contact with Ino as she eyes everyone. Ino then settles with a disbelief expression pasted across her face. "Wow, and you guys don't correct me? Thanks, I feel the love; really."

"Sorry Ino," Temari shrugged and picks up her phone, "It's just that you never stick to your plans we agreed to do."

"Simple," TenTen agreed, "You have a short attention span—"

"I do not!"

"Ino chan," Hinata directly speaks, her eyes unblinking as she confronts Ino, "You're too absorbed in your own little doings, you don't really ask either of us… if we feel comfortable."

"Yeah," Sakura nods, and glances up, "And your plans— they're not "plans"; they're more like _matchmaking_."

The three girls nodded and slowly give Ino their full attention. Ino sits up and stares a few seconds at each of them before sighing. She flips her hand at them, "Fine, whatever."

"We're sorry for not telling you, Ino chan."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Ino waved Hinata off and falls back to her sleeping bag again. The silence grew but as soon as Sakura flipped the next page of her book, Ino perked up, "So what _is _the deal between you and Sasuke?"

"Oh, that." Sakura closed her book, and looks nonchalantly at her four friends.

_Sakura inwardly slaps herself, what is she thinking! Proposing a game she didn't plan first hand. It just spilled out her lips. Ino's going to kill her later after she finds out what she's up to. "Since you love to tease me, oh so much, lets see if you can handle what I'm about to say."_

"_Bring it."_

"_Alright," Sakura nodded, shooting a smirk at him. She twisted to the side and swung her backpack to her side where she unzipped the bag and took out a pen and notepad. Then she scribbled on the top, LOVE GAME and then wrote out a couple lines under, RULES. _

_Sasuke, perked, stepped closer to get a better look from what Sakura had written on her notepad. Raising a brow, Sasuke crosses his arms again and looks behind Sakura to the entrance of the corridor. "You're going to be late, you know."_

"_Don't care at the moment." Sakura continues to write. She then wrote TRADE on the bottom of the page, and under that drew two X's with a line signifying that's where they sign their signature in agreement. _

_Sasuke raises both his brows, "We're both going to get detention."_

_Sakura finishes writing and clicks her pen, "Much too important… Why are you so worried about me?"_

_She looks at him with a suspicious look. He chuckled, "Hn, I'm not."_

"_Anyway, this is a game of love." Sakura grinned mischievously, "If you can't handle this, I'm pretty sure you won't be able to handle another round of pranks that you haven't already used on me."_

_Sasuke snorts and shakes his head, "Annoying. What do you have in mind?"_

_Sakura writes down: "Let's sweet talk."_

_Sasuke: "Aa."_

_Sakura writes down: "Let's play fight."_

_Sasuke: "Aa."_

_Sakura writes down: "Let's talk 24/7…" Sakura pauses immediately and holds up a finger, "Wait, no, lets—"_

"_Too late, keep going." Sasuke smirks, "If I can handle a whole week talking to you, let's go on dates."_

"_Wha—?" Sakura gasped and stared up at Sasuke with widen eyes. Crap, she thinks, Is Ino right? Or is he just adding on conditions that he thinks she won't be able to do? This is a love game, after all… There's no going back now, she decided, she already told him the idea and if he's willing to accept this final game then so can she. "Fine!" She writes down, "Then let's tell each other good morning and good night everyday." Sakura shot back._

_Sasuke: "Let's talk on the phone all night long." Sasuke smirks and leans down to Sakura, "Or can you not handle the heat?"_

_Sakura rolls her eyes and writes it down, "Let's take walks together."_

_Sasuke: "Let's hold each other."_

_Sakura writes down: "Let's give each other nicknames."_

_Sasuke smirks, "Aa."_

_Sakura writes down: "Let's hang out with each other's friends."_

_Sasuke drops his smirks and doesn't want to think of wanting to hang out with Sakura's best friend, Ino, who can be more annoying than Sakura. On the other hand, this is one thing she can do, not for only her own benefit but for Ino, too, Sakura thinks._

_Sakura then smiles and announces that she's out of options and starts to end it there when Sasuke holds up a finger and places it under Sakura's chin and tilts her head up, "Let's hug and kiss."_

_Sakura could feel her face heat up as Sasuke stared deeply into her jaded eyes. No, don't blush Sakura! She thinks. He's not worth your while! Sakura grits her teeth, "Hugs, no kisses."_

"_What's that?" Sasuke leaned closer, "It's not like we haven't kissed before."_

_He did have a point, Sakura thinks, although it was against her will! But the thought that has been haunting her ever since that night Sasuke stole her first kiss was: did she enjoy it? Did she like how Sasuke kissed her, so fierce and mischievous?_

_Shaking her head at the feeling of creeping up her neck, Sakura stubbornly groans, "Fine! And whoever falls in love first?"_

_Sakura and Sasuke: "Loses."_

"Then, as you all know, I got my first detention… with him." Sakura grumbles lowly and places her head on her pillow.

"So we heard." Temari and Ino said at the same time and then looked at each other and grinned. After Sasuke and Sakura signed their agreement with one and two other small conditions like in Sakura's case, no having bodyguards (except in dire situations) to protect Sasuke from his fangirls, the school's staff called their names loud and clear on the intercom to head to detention.

"Well, now that I've heard the conditions," Ino stated, pulling away her sleeping bag's flap and slid in, "This is sounding more and more interesting. We'll give you a hand if you need help."

Temari picked up her phone and started scrolling through it, Hinata on the other hand happened to fall asleep before Sakura even finished her story. TenTen, on the other end, was now lying on her back, with a blanket over her head.

Sakura opened her book to the page where she left off and muttered stubbornly, "So you think I can't take the heat?"

Ino reached up and pulled the ponytail out from her hair and let is sprawl around her shoulders, "I know you can take the heat… but… doesn't this sound a little too cliché?"

"No. It doesn't."

"Okay, it's getting late guys, I'm hitting the sack." Temari announced, sliding into her sleeping bag and plugging her phone charger into her iphone. "I'll see you girls in the morning. Don't stay up too late."

"Don't have to tell us, look," Sakura says and motions to Hinata beside her, "Hinata's already conked out."

Ino looks over to TenTen and shakes her head and turns back to Temari and Sakura, "They should really change their bedtime… it's like, abnormal to sleep in so early."

"Not really…" Sakura mutters and goes back to reading her book.

"It's only eight though!" Ino raised her voice until Temari threw a pillow at Ino who cried out.

"Ino!" TenTen growled from under her blanket, "Shut up, some people are _trying_ to sleep,"

"Well _I'm _sorry that you didn't get hit with a pillow face first." Ino sneers and shoots a dark glare at Temari who gave her a shrug. Sakura rolls her eyes and continue with her reading, not bothering with the blondes.

"_Any_way," Ino throws back the pillow which Temari catches before it hits her face. She sticks her tongue out at Ino in mockery as Ino growls and flicks her off. "Sakura, what I said to you before, Sasuke is **so **into you— no wonder he agreed to your "love game". Haven't you noticed?"

This caught Sakura's attention as she rereads the sentence that Ino's voice interrupted in her head. She didn't think Sasuke was into her like Ino said but she did know that Sasuke wouldn't ever back down from a deal or a game that she would put into action. Sasuke was too good for that, he was strategic, unlike her who goes with whatever her guts tells her to. But she did have her suspicions, what if Sasuke really did secretly like her? Sakura did recall listening to Ino reading from one of her teen mags, that a guy or girl would tease or bully the person they like. Technically, Sasuke is her competitor, not her bully and even so, she doubts Sasuke has any feelings for her… yet.

"I do… soon enough I will watch him fall to his knees and beg for me to be his girlfriend." Sakura absently raised a fist in the air in triumph and continued to make her daydream realistic, "It won't take that long anyway, and he's not good with love or the sort—"

"Goodnight Sakura," Ino rolled her eyes and reached over to turn off the lamp that provided light to Sakura's book.

Although Sakura didn't realized Ino had turned off the lights, she still kept talking "—I've lived next door to him for years and never once seen him bring home a girl… besides my rampage that time … technically Ino—"

Sakura looks over in the dark room at a snoring Ino, "Ino?"

_Who says it's abnormal to sleep in at such an early time? _Sakura falls silent and listens to the dormant breathings of her sleeping friends. Sakura then closes her book again and slides further into her bedding and rests against her pillow. That night Sakura didn't sleep; the only thoughts that kept bugging her hour after hour was the thought that haunted her dreams. Did she enjoy Sasuke's kiss?

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The next morning, Sakura trudged through the school's busy corridor, only to accidentally bump into people while she tries to stay up on her feet. Today, she was exhausted from the lack of sleep she had the night before. Sakura cursed in her head, imagining a picture of Sasuke tacked to the wall and in the middle of his eyes was a dart. Why, of all people, did he have to kiss her? Sakura groans and walks straight to her locker. Twisting her locker's combination, Sakura doesn't realize that everyone surrounding her was now dissipating fewer bodies.

Pulling the knob to open her locker, it doesn't budge and Sakura stands there looking as annoyed as Sasuke when it comes to her stupid pranks. She tries again and still it doesn't seem to go as she wants it to, "This must be some sort of joke. Open up!"

"Want some help?" A voice interrupts her mind-filled rants. Sakura doesn't have to turn around to know Sasuke is standing behind her with a smug look on his face.

"No, I don't need _your_ help." Sakura spats and glares at her locker.

"Good morning to you too." Sasuke mutters as he watches her twist her lock to the right twice and then to the left and pulls the knob but growls when it doesn't budge.

"ARGH!" Sakura bangs her head on the surface of her locker. "Why won't you open?"

Sasuke, who was half amused by her failing attempts of opening her locker, couldn't go back on his word after signing the 'love game' versed Sakura. "Here." Stepping forward and practically nudges Sakura aside, he lifts his hand to her locker and asks for her combo.

"Zero, Zero, Get Lost." Sakura mumbles and peeks at Sasuke and sees amusement turning to annoyance.

"Remind you, we're on a contract." He noted, seriously.

Scowling, she turns away and gives him a groan before letting him know her combo. Once he turns the lock to the right twice, Sakura watches as he continues the rest. A click is heard and with wide eyes, she slowly watches as Sasuke opens her locker door. "What? B-but how? I mean…"

"I think your locker likes you best when you smile." Sasuke relieves a breath and leans against another locker connected to hers.

Sakura feels a tug at the corner of her lips but having Sasuke get the satisfaction of making her smile because of his sweet words crossed her mind and had made her frown instead. "Thanks, I guess."

Sakura reaches into her locker and gathers her belonging then fumbles with the zipper on her bag. Not noticing Sasuke watching with a close gaze, Sakura blinks away the weariness of having little sleep. The bell rings. "Okay, got everything I need."

After closing her bag, Sakura takes a few steps and pauses when a thought springs into her mind. "Actually… being the gentleman you are," She smiles cheekily, "Escort me to class."

"Hn." With his cool demeanor, Sasuke straightens up and voluntarily holds his hand out for her to take, "Ready?"

Sakura hesitated for a moment, feeling slightly awkward of Sasuke's sudden change of heart. Why is Sasuke taking this game seriously anyway? She didn't think the game would start too soon, like the start of early this morning. Who would? It was early in the freaking morning! Observing his face, Sasuke looks at her with a mysterious smirk (which she should be aware of by now) but excused it as Sasuke trying to be a man of hidden tricks. She takes his hand and regrets herself when she feels his hand is wet and slimy.

Twisting her face in a disgusted expression, she yanks her hand away and stares at it. Tiny bubbles erupted and she soon realizes it wasn't water or a sneeze, typically it was Sasuke's spit that she had just clapped her hand onto. "EW!"

"Better than blood, right?" Sasuke snickers, "Now we're officially bonded."

**Officially bonded, **Sasuke's words struck Sakura like lightening shocks had streamed through the sky and bounced off the drums of the thunder. Sakura opens her mouth but she couldn't find the words to tell him off except squirm and act all cootie like. "Ew! That's disgusting!"

The bell rings again and Sakura starts to panic. She should be in class by now but because of Sasuke's little act of deception, she calculates running to her class, throwing her bag to her desk and then running straight to the bathroom to wash her hand. But then again, she wouldn't have a pass and she would end up in detention like she did the day before. "No, no, this is all so wrong!"

The weird thing was when Sakura was hurrying towards her classroom, Sasuke didn't follow and the corridor seemed too empty of students fleeing to their homeroom and where were the teachers anyway? Why weren't they late? Sakura slid to a stop in front of her room and yanks the door to the side just as the bell rings a second time.

"SAFE!" someone yells in the room like they were playing baseball. Sakura sighs in relief and walks into the room. Ino gives her a 'where-were-you' look as she walks by. Falling into her seat, Sakura reaches for her bag and feels air instead. _No!_

"Teacher!" Sakura shrieks, shooting her hand in the air and waving frantically. "Can you write me a pass?"

Everyone stares at her like she grown two heads. She didn't care though, she needed her bag, and it had all her school supplies in it. Although she sometimes felt that her bag was like carrying a baby around, Sakura has needs in the side pocket that keeps her calm and at bay. Ino might as well accuse her for PMSing in the morning because she wasn't in the mood to talk.

The teacher takes his time doing whatever he was doing and slowly looks up. "Quickly do what you must and hurry back before the third bell."

Sakura scrambles to the doorway and runs out after remembering she needed a pass but it was too late because as if on cue the bell rang and Sakura smacks her forehead with the palm of her hand and silently curses out loud.

Well this is good, Sakura thinks, at least she doesn't have to head back to class and be embarrassed all over again. Sakura trudges down the hall towards the detention room 301. Grumbling, Sakura cries inwardly and pouts at all the possibilities that Sasuke had done this on purpose. "I bet he spent all yesterday night plotting this scheme."

"Detention again?" A voice so familiar Sakura wanted to gag. She didn't dare look at him and kept walking with him following behind. "You're on a roll."

"Shut up!" Sakura halts and spins around, "I wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for your spit!"

"Aa, you're in denial." Sasuke snickers, and walks past her, heading around the corner, "Remind you who started this whole game."

Indeed it is a game and she won't be the one to fall first, Sakura rages in her mind and stomps forward, following quite a distance behind him. "If I would like to hear from an A-hole like you, I'd fart.*"

Sasuke almost immediately stops before reaching the door and swirls facing Sakura, his face masked with annoyance and anger. Narrowing his eyes at her insult, he calmly rejects it with a, "You're just like a vacuum cleaner, loud and annoying.*"

Sakura stops beside him, feeling quite vexed that he thought of her that way. She sneers, "You want to hear a joke I made up?"

"Hn."

"How do you get an emo out a tree?" Sakura laughs harshly, "Cut the rope.*"

It seemed Sakura hit him hard with the joke; it looked like Sasuke was at his limit. Technically Sasuke wasn't an emo; he was just mentally unsocial and physically nonchalant towards people besides the ones that get on his nerves, via Sakura and Naruto. "Nice come back," Sasuke narrowed his eyes and gritted through his teeth, "Now wipe that off your chin.*"

He descended once again leaving her gaping at his statement. Still insulting her with a rejection, this time it made her feel slightly perturbed! Sakura scrunched her face and ran a few steps towards his body and jumped on his back, pulling him away from reaching the door. He grunted at the impact.

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It was lunch hour and Sakura and Sasuke was placed in the silent room two doors down from the detention room. They were in there because of their little fight outside the detention room. Sakura sat on the far left of the door while Sasuke at the front right, near the closed blinds of the window. _He's always getting her in trouble, _Sakura thinks, _why can't he be normal like Naruto? _Okay, calling Naruto "normal" was like him living without ramen his whole life. This made Sakura laugh and think deeply on the matter at hand, why was the mayor's son always getting detention? Shouldn't he support his father by doing well in school? What is he trying to achieve?

Sakura glances at Sasuke and catches him looking at her with curiosity lingering in his gaze. "What?"

"What's so funny?" He asks, not giving her a break to answer, "You sound like an old hag when you laugh like that."

Sakura's upper lip twitches, "Thank you—" remembering the game, "**Sweat **heart."

What a lame nickname she thought up, instead of sweet heart she said "sweat heart"? Seriously, could she come up with anything lamer?

Sasuke stood up and walked to two desks in front of hers and sat down. "You're like a stick of bubblegum, flat and leveled." Giving her his full attention, Sasuke grins, "But that's why I enjoy chewing you out."

**Flat and leveled. Stick. **What got to Sakura the most was that he called her, **bubblegum.** Not only does she hate people who nickname her after her hair color, he copied that nickname from Karin who always glared at her whenever she competed against Sasuke.

Sakura gasps, "Do you hear that?"

Sasuke leans back into his seat and waits for Sakura to answer but soon realizes that she played him well. Of course he wouldn't hear anything because she didn't take his words to heart. If anything, Sasuke has to play this right if he's going to make her fall in love with him. "You, choking on air? Yeah, I hear it."

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They were now sitting in the counselor's office because the principal was too busy to deal with their silly acts towards each other. By the time lunch had ended, Ino, Hinata and Naruto paid Sakura and Sasuke a small visit before heading back to their classes.

"_Hey teme!" Naruto declared slapping a hand on Sasuke's back. Sasuke didn't make a sound even if Naruto's slap hurt him. "Must be tough being bad now that you have competition." He laughed, nodding his head towards Sakura. _

_Sasuke rolled his eyes and acknowledged Hinata's presence while she stood between Ino and Naruto. Ino marched up to the desk in front of Sakura and sat in it._

"_Glad to see you're still alive, Sak," Ino announced, bringing in a load of paperwork Sakura had missed half her morning classes, "I swear, Karin can talk an ear off especially with you as her main topic."_

_Sasuke, perked by Sakura being the top gossip of the school, inched closer unnoticeable with an ear ready to eavesdrop, ignoring Naruto as he babbles on._

"_She spread a rumor about me?" Sakura gasped at the news Ino told her. Karin can be a big be-otch that it's not even worth looking at her face. Sakura turns her eyes slightly from Ino's and locks onto Sasuke who was staring intently at hers. She smirks, "Never mind, at least she spread something other than her legs.*" _

_Ino laughs and tells Hinata to remind her to tell TenTen and Temari later what Sakura said about Karin. After the bell rings, Hinata announces that they should be heading to class and before they left, Naruto winks at Sasuke, "Play nice you two."_

But being stuck in a room with only the two of them to interact with left them aggravated and frustrated at each other's presence, no less, retorts, Sakura realizes that this game is harder to play than planning it out. Sakura remained silent through out the day, almost as silent Sasuke wished for her to be. It was quite depressing that even Sasuke minded a little talk from Sakura but received none.

Finally an answer to his prayers, "I can't wait for this day to end and say goodbye to your sorry fat a—" Sakura blurted but then corrected herself, "Oh, what am I saying? You don't have one."

Sasuke snorted and leaned forward, "Jealous people only retort when they know they don't have one either."

"I hate you."

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A/N: Don't forget to review. Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 1

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: How was Part One? Ready for Chapter One? Please RxR!

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Chapter One

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Dear Students of KLH,

We, the staff, apologizes that the school's festival has been postponed from next week to next month due to some circumstances involving the mix up of exams between the school districts.

We please ask you to restrain from any protesting (_Uzamaki Naruto_) involving pranks and the like. Here is the schedule of events updated this week to next month.

**Schedule of 10/xx to 06/xx**

Tour around the Sky-Draper of Hoki (museum of Airplanes – History class 401) 10/0x/xx

(Freshmen and Junior Year, twenty dollars/student, meet your teacher in your homeroom)

Tour of the Culinary University (degree in Culinary) 16/0x/xx at twenty after eleven AM

(Thirty dollars/student; meet at the school entrance)

Health Examination, 17/0x/xx starting at nine to eleven located in the lunch room.

Field trip to Okinawa's Island, Okuma 19/0x/xx-23/0x/xx

(Room 116 and Room 119, eighty dollars/student, meet at nine AM in front of the school's entrance)

School's Festival, 03/0x/xx-04/0x/xx

Ten AM

Each class will compromise with a theme that relates to France

Cosplay should meet the required dress code (_Karin_)

Weapons, mags, prank devices BANNED (_TenTen, Boys/Girls of HLK including Yamanaka Ino, Uzamaki Naruto_)

Thank you for cooperating with us. Study hard or there will be CONSEQUENCES!

Approved by your principal— Tsunade

Sincerely,

KLH Staff

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Sakura looked up from the schedule she held in her hands. Thinking deeply on the matter, she calculated her job and the dates that she was thinking of attending for school. _Is the field trip mandatory?_

"SAKURA!"

Startled, Sakura looks around and sees a blond running to her at full speed. Not having the time to move away, Sakura freezes, clenches her eyes shut and braced her self for the incoming impact.

She imagined herself being blown away, like one of those idiots in a manga, but it never came. Peeking through one eye, Sakura drops her pose and stares up at the tall figure that blocked her rampage friend who was now lying on the ground with a daze look on his face.

Swallowing back a retort, Sakura raised a brow as Sasuke straightened up. _Did he just save her from becoming like Team Rocket blasting off again?_ Sakura noticed that he was breathing hard, _was it that hard mustering all that strength to knock Naruto out? _Sakura looked down at Naruto again; _Then again, it's Naruto. _

"Uh," Sakura cleared her voice and reached out to pat Sasuke's arm but as he turned, she dropped her hand, "Thank you Sasuke."

"Don't mention it, sw—"

"SAKURA/ SASUKE!" Two voices shouted so loudly in unison, that Sakura swore that she felt the ground shake.

Looking aside too late, Sakura was bumped roughly to the side and landed on the ground like a sack of potatoes; her school materials scattering everywhere.

Naruto gasped after waking up from his deadpanned state from getting knocked out by Sasuke, ran to Sakura's side and started picking up her stuff. "Are you alright?" He asked as Sakura sat up, wondering who had the nerve to shove her to the sidelines.

Glancing at her attacker, she assumed too soon. There, standing in her previous position and attached to Sasuke's arm was Karin with a scary look on her face. She giggled continuously as Sasuke ignored her.

"Saku—" Sasuke spoke but was rudely interrupted by Karin who pulled Sasuke away from Sakura.

Naruto had gathered everything that belonged to Sakura and stuffed it into her bag and helped Sakura up. Sakura, still irritated by Karin's push, thanked Naruto with a harsh tone while glaring daggers at her.

"Sasuke, you shouldn't waste your time on that stick of gum." Karin's favorite insult that Sasuke had used the day before said and rolled her eyes.

Hardening her hands into fists, Sakura took a step towards them. Naruto, getting the gist of the situation, grabbed Sakura's arm and held her back. "Sakura, don't. You'll only make things worst."

Karin laughed and glanced behind Sasuke's arm, "Yes Bubblegum, you should obey your master of helium over there."

Sakura and Naruto's eye brows rose up at her insult. This time, Naruto stepped in front of Sakura and yelled at Karin, "WHAT WAS THAT, FOUR EYES?"

Karin twitched but rolled her eyes at his lame nickname. Sakura reached up and clasped her hand over Naruto's mouth, preventing him from babbling nonsense. "You know Karin, if you're going to talk about me behind my back, that just means my life is obviously more interesting than yours.*"

Karin scoffed and let go of Sasuke who was looking quite amused at this choice of turn. "What was that, ugly?"

It wasn't the first time that they both started drawing a crowd of students around them. Sakura let go of Naruto and stepped forward. "No wonder you're wearing glasses because clearly you can't see how beautiful I am without them."

Karin's mouth clenched shut as she stared hard at Sakura who noticed the crowd getting slightly bigger.

"Don't you need a license to be that ugly?*" Karin spat, little spit flying from her mouth.

"Every girl has the right to be ugly, but you abuse the privilege.*" Sakura said it with a straight face, making everyone around them 'ohh-ed' at Karin.

"Saku!" A familiar face pushed through the crowd and stood behind Sakura. Sakura turns and see Ino and Temari looking between her and Karin. Temari lifted her hand while glaring at Karin. Sakura raised a brow as Ino reached into her chest pocket and handed her ten bucks.

Placing the ten dollars in her pocket, Temari marched up to Karin and grabbed her collar, "Don't you have something better to do than tease our friend?"

Karin snickered, "Yes. In fact—"

"No one cares!" Ino interrupted from behind them and muttered something to Sakura who grumbled back.

Sasuke, who was standing there doing nothing, didn't bother breaking up the fight. Why would he waste his breath on either girl that has nothing to do with him? No benefit there. Sakura didn't say he had to save her in the game.

"Shut up Barbie!" Karin screamed at Ino and scratched Temari's face. The rest of Sasuke's gang came in time to see Temari back away. "Why don't you get another plastic surgery and show that off to your men-whores?"

Ino gasped and ran forward, swinging her nails at Karin who screeched and backed away. Sakura ran to Temari's side and checked her face but Temari wouldn't have it, saying it was just a scratch and it didn't mean anything. Shikamaru ran over and crouched down to their level. Confused by the fight, Shikamaru reassured Temari that the boys are handling the situation. Hardening her face, Sakura turned to Sasuke who gave her a blank look.

"Last time I check, you were blubbering something off about getting yourself a nose job!" Ino shot back.

Karin gasped and ran forward, clawing at Ino who dodged but missed as Karin grabbed her ponytail. Yanking it back, Ino shouted in pain, "I was wondering how you comb your hair so the horns don't show!*"

Sakura waved her hands towards the two girls fighting but Sasuke just shrugged and hung back. Walking swiftly to Sasuke's side, Sakura reached up to grip his shirt and pull him down to her eye level. "What part in the _love_ game do you not understand?"

"You did say no bodyguards." Sasuke pointed out.

"You dimwit!" Sakura seethed, "Can you use that brain of yours and help out."

"That's wasting perfect energy."

"As if your brain shuts down while you're sleeping," Sakura sarcastically said and rolled her eyes, "Hurry and do something!"

Pushing Sasuke out from the sidelines, Sasuke glared at Sakura and walked straight to the two girls fighting. Grabbing a hold of Karin's arm, she yanked away and was about to claw the intruder when she glanced at her prince charming and disarmed the blond. "Sasuke!"

"You got more issues than National Geographic*!" Naruto yelled from the sidelines.

Have you ever played with a dj's instrumental device or heard some songs screech and scribble over wavelengths to make that squiggly sound for a comedy movie's cut off? Well, that's how it was now. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their eyes to Naruto. Naruto's chants soon wavered as he finally started to notice that everyone, including his friends had become uncomfortably silent. _Way to go Naruto, breaking the ice just like that_, Sakura thinks.

"Did he just say that?" Ino asked, forgetting about her throbbing head.

Karin gave Naruto a once over, before agreeing with Ino (for once), "You would've thought he didn't know anything aside from ramen."

Everyone agreed, nodding their heads sadly. Sakura blinked and glanced towards Sasuke who in return nodded his head to the side. Not getting the gist of his cryptic message, Sasuke nodded again and used his free hand to point away from the crowd.

"What did I do?" Naruto asked; sweat dropping from his oblivious spot light. "What did I say?"

"But he's still an airhead when it comes to situations like these." Karin muttered as the rest of the crowd nodded in agreement.

Sakura looked around; everyone was occupied by what Naruto had said and squeezed back her way from the middle to the outside of the bubble of students. Exhale a breath she was holding the whole time, Sakura was surprised as someone grabbed her legs and picked her up. Startled by his sudden action, Sasuke carried Sakura off to class.

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Thankful that nothing big happened earlier that morning, Sakura made it through the day with a few retorts exchanged by Sasuke's insults and flirts instead of detentions. What surprised Sakura the most was the fact that no one involved in the fight didn't get in trouble, no less detention. Naruto was to thank for, shocking everyone with his intelligent insult— something Karin hadn't taken to heart.

At the end of the day, Sakura's group met up with her before she exited the class.

"Hey," TenTen waved, "Sorry I missed the fight. I had to go to my dental appointment."

"Don't worry, you didn't miss much." Temari shrugged and pulled on her backpack.

"Yeah, no one got caught." Ino added in, walking out the classroom with her friends following behind.

"Could've fooled me; I was expecting someone had." Sakura perked up, holding back her laughter that she caught in her throat. The flashback of Naruto's prevention had made her stomach flutter.

"_You_ disappeared when the teachers appeared." Temari turned around while walking backwards and pointed a finger in Sakura's face.

Sakura blinked furiously, a flashback inching further into her mind that she would rather forget ever happened. Biting her lip, Sakura swatted Temari's finger from her face and turned to the windows that viewed the baseball field.

"What _did_ happen anyway?" TenTen urged, walking between Ino and Sakura.

Ino absently reached up and slid her fingers through her hair as she explained to TenTen the morning events and resulted with Naruto ending the whole fight, leaving the teachers completely confused by everyone's reaction. "We left the teachers wondering what had happened, as if the fight never began."

Temari turned around, just in time to hop down the first steps of the stairway. The four girls took their time down the steps talking about the fight, Naruto and Sasuke. Once they got to the first floor, Sakura paused slightly as they enter the shoe lockers.

Someone was blocking her shoe locker. Leaning casually on her locker, Sasuke's head was cast downwards, his raven locks hiding his features. Sakura's eyes trailed from his head to his slender form, his sharp, broad shoulders, and his muscular arms and how cleaned he looks. _Must be for show,_ Sakura thinks while she makes her way towards him,_ since he's the mayor's son._

"I wonder if Hinata's feeling better." TenTen wonders aloud, passing Sasuke's wallflower form and reaches the end of the lockers. She turns and opens the top locker where her shoes are hidden in.

Ino and Temari did the same, only glancing at Sakura who stands in front of Sasuke. Glancing back, Sakura catches Ino nudging Temari in the sides and whispering something to Temari.

Turning back to Sasuke who had caught sight of her shoes slowly trailed up to her face. He had his hands in his pockets, still blocking Sakura's locker and just giving her a small smirk.

"_Great._ What do you want Sasuke?" Sakura rolled her eyes and grabbed Sasuke's shoulder and pushed him away but he didn't budge. "Is there something you need?"

"Your time." He snickered.

"Ooh!" Ino squealed behind them. The two rivals turned their attention to Ino who was being pulled away by TenTen and Temari. "That reminds me, Sakura—"

"I can't." Sakura blurted quickly, "I have nursery duty."

"You should babysit Sasuke!" Ino suggested, laughing girly at her crazy ideas.

Sasuke glared at Ino who gave him a mischievous grin. Sakura looked at Ino like she grew two heads, "Uh, no thanks Ino."

"Come on, Ino!" TenTen continued dragging her friend out.

"But your contract!" Ino whined, "It's all in the contract— you guys are doing it wrong! Don't you notice it, Temari?"

"Well…" Temari paused in moment of thought, dropping Ino into TenTen's grasp. TenTen heaved upright, shouting at Temari not to let go of Ino or else…

Ino walked briskly towards the two rivals.

"What?" Sakura quirked a brow, her eyes perked at the sound of 'contract'. "What are we doing wrong? We're just following our rules we made up."

"But the way you're doing it is all wrong!" Ino raised her hands to make her point. She nudged her elbow against Sasuke's arm, "You both are supposed to _make _each other fall in love without falling in love yourselves first!"

"Yeah, so?" Sasuke urged, backing a step away from Ino.

"In spite of your _deal_, this looks (from everyone's perspectives) that you're falling out of love instead!" Ino speculated, crossing her arms and shaking her head at her two pupils.

"What are you talking about?!" Sakura raised her voice but Ino held up a hand. TenTen and Temari walked forward and stood around the three. "We're not in love to begin wi—"

"At least make it look like you're actually playing the game!" Ino included, grabbing Sakura's arm and pulling her to her.

"That's right!" Temari butted in closing the spaces of escape, "Ever since yesterday, it looked like you guys have been together the whole day... despite you guys haven't been separated due to your detentions."

"I'll have to agree." TenTen nodded, placing a finger to her chin. "It's only been two days since you started and you guys act like a bickering old couple—"

"Hn."

Ino coughs, "Ten, wrong choice of words. We're trying to correct their doings, not support them!"

"Ah shoot," Ten cleared her voice, "What I mean was that you guys act like dogs fighting over a scrap of bone."

If anime was reality, you could see Ino, Sakura and Sasuke sweat drop and literally drop to the ground by TenTen's oblivious naivety.

"Nice analogy." Temari chuckled, shaking her head.

"Thanks, Temari." Ten smiled.

Sasuke cleared his throat and shifted his footing to his right. "Your point?"

"My point is," Ino eyed Sakura and then stepped forward, making Sakura step back, "if you're going to try to make each other fall in love first, look it."

"Meaning…?" Sasuke eyed each other of the girls. Ino stepped forward again, making Sakura bump into Temari from behind.

Pushing Sakura forward, Temari stepped up blocking little space of escape. "Pretend like you're dating to make it look like you're actually interested in each other."

TenTen rolled her eyes and turned her eye to Sasuke, "Obviously that won't work. Look at it this way… Sasuke— if you want to win this game, be the playboy you are and flirt (no insults) with Sakura to find her weakness, comfort her so she may find a good heart in you."

Sasuke looked off bored in the distance as students passed them, their eyes curious, could it be another fight? "Hn."

Ino smirked and purred at Sakura, "Purrfect! And Sakura," She steps forward again making Sakura step back onto the edge Sasuke's shoe. "I have no reason for you to back down. Good luck." Ino gently places a hand on Sakura's shoulder and pressed her back onto Sasuke's leaning form.

"Whoa!" Sakura teeters back, her hands failing to catch a hold on something like an arm.

Crashing onto a board like chest but with pumping organs underneath his skin, Sakura made out a rush of sentences piled together and realized her three friends did a hit and run. Hands gripped Sakura's upper arms and pulled her up.

_Maybe they were looking at this wrong the whole time, _Sakura thinks and sighs.

"Just you." Sasuke muttered sweetly. Sakura closed her eyes and breathed a simple five seconds before turning her attention up at Sasuke.

"What?"

Sasuke straightens up and pulls a pair of outdoor shoes from the top of the lockers and hands them to Sakura who looks bewildered at his actions.

"Your shoes," He nods and steps out of her way, "A gesture of kindness."

He had taken her shoes without asking her! She turns around and yells at his back, "More like invasion of privacy!"

Sasuke keeps on walking. He raises his hand in a goodbye wave as a black car drive arrives outside the school's gates. One of his bodyguards gets out and opens the door for him. He turns and shoots Sakura a wink before getting in.

Sakura stood there with her shoes in her arms as she watches the car drive away. A buzzing noise erupts from her bag, sending Sakura curse in frenzy. Grabbing her bag, she searches for her phone and opens the cover. A text message.

To: .xxxx.

Fr: Unknown

Text: 'Whatever rocks your boat, Sa-ku-ra.'

_Sasuke?! _Sakura read the text again, her mind reeling as she pieces the text and Sasuke together, "How'd he even get my number?"

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A/N: Thanks for reading! Please RxR!


	4. Part Two

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: Hope Chapter One wasn't all that bad. (In my mind, all negative thoughts are brewing *Admit it, its baaad! =.= It sucked, why? Because my writer's block affected my writing skills and I really wanted to include Sasuke's 3rd POV inside but this is Sakura's story we're talking about! Grrrrr*) Annnnyway, I expect reviews and more readers!

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Part Two

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It's been four days since Ino has corrected Sasuke and Sakura about how they should play their 'love game'. Last Friday, Ino made sure Sasuke and Sakura had both printed copies of the game with their signatures sealed on the bottom. She also made it feel real when she framed the real copy and hid it in her room. How did the real contract get in Ino's hands, Sakura does not know.

Sakura sat in her visual class, watching a silent video. Not everyone was paying attention, some people were sleeping and some were so intrigued with the movie that they had hidden tears ready to fall.

Sakura looked around the room, her eyes searching for certain faces but could only find a few. In the dark room, Sakura noticed Ino sleeping soundly at her desk, TenTen's eyes concentrated on the video with a serious face, Kiba joking quietly with Naruto in the back row and Hinata who sat diagonal from her had tears in her eyes. Temari hadn't showed today nor did Neji or Shikamaru; they probably caught the flu from Hinata the week before.

Sakura slumped back in her seat as she stared boringly at the video. Sighing, she thought back on what Ino had said after handing both Sakura and Sasuke their contracts and replayed her weekend in her mind.

_Saturday_

_Sakura laid in her bed, her phone plugged in its charger on her dresser. While she was sleeping soundly, a dream she wished wouldn't end ended too soon. BUZZ! Sakura sat up as her phone vibrated against the surface of her dresser. _

_Pouting that her good dream slipped away before she could remember anything, Sakura reaches for her phone, unplugs it and flips the cover open to see another message from an unknown replier. _Sasuke. _Opening the text, he told her to get dressed. _

"_Good morning to you too!" Falling back onto her bed, phone in hand, she groaned loudly and threw her covers over her head. _

_Another buzz rang loudly under the covers. Growling, Sakura screamed into her pillow. Another buzz. Sakura throws the blankets over the side of her bed and marched to her bathroom. _

_She grabbed her hairbrush and opened her bathroom's window that's right across from Sasuke's room and threw her brush at his window. Watching it bounce from its protective glass and fall to the shrubs below, Sakura yells out Sasuke's name. _

"_No need to yell so early in the morning, Sa-ku-ra."A voice so clear and familiar that Sakura has wished she hadn't yelled out his name. _

_Sakura spins around, startled by how close Sasuke was to her than she assumed. He stood only a few feet away, smirking at her as she began to feel her face heat up, "Screw you!"_

_Sasuke was dressed in a casual polo navy blue shirt and stretchy skinny jeans that didn't make his legs look like a woman's. Sasuke raised a brow and did a once over check on Sakura. Shifting her footing, Sakura looked down at what she was wearing and was well aware that her pajamas wasn't as embarrassing and exposed as when Sasuke heads to bed, with only his boxers on. _

"_Now, now," Sasuke leaned against the sink and waved at Sakura's clothes, "I thought I told you to get dressed."_

"_Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'll obey." Sakura rolled her eyes and turned to close her window when she remembers that her hairbrush fell to the ground. Slapping a hand to her forehead, Sakura grumbles. _

"_Well since you're out of bed," Sasuke stood up and walked towards Sakura, "you might as well get dressed now."_

"_Why? What for?" Sakura asks, sighing and closing her window._

"_Don't ask, do." Sasuke took a piece of her pink locks and slid it out of his grasp, "I'll be waiting. Don't take too long." _

_He walks to the bathroom door and before he slips outside, he chuckles darkly, "Or you'll have to face the consequences."_

_Sakura cringed at the many ideas that Sasuke could do to her like having already invading her bubble space, entering her house without permission, texting her number (which still bugs her to the point that she's thinking of changing her number), or worst, throwing her to his pack of guard dogs (body guards) and accusing her of some sort… _**oh the horror, the horror! **_Sakura shivers at the thought and skips to the door to shut it._

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_After Sakura got dressed into a white tank top and a light navy slanted shoulder top with a jean skirt, Sakura trudged downstairs to her living room where Sasuke was seated, his hands folded behind his head as he stared at the blank TV. Tiptoeing behind him, Sakura raised her hands to scare him but as she got closer, Sasuke's hands reached back and grabbed her before she could do anything. Pulling her down, Sakura shrieked and slid over her sofa and fell onto Sasuke. _

"_You're really slow for a ninja." He chuckled, pulling her head onto his lap. "Ninjas aren't supposed to be clumsy."_

"_No fair!" Pouting at her failed attempt, Sakura turned over and felt her wet locks damp his pants leg. _Good, _she thought, _if anyone notices, they'll think Sasuke peed himself. "_Don't you have something better to do with your Saturday than pest me?"_

_Sasuke sighed and bent down, pressing his lips against her ear. A shiver ran down Sakura's lower back. "No, you're my Saturday." He breathed smoothly, his voice low and silky. _

He's just a teaser, isn't he? _Sakura stares at the TV and sees her and Sasuke's reflection. _That's right they're still playing the game. _She figured how he did it; she should have known he'd see her through the black reflection of her screen TV. Shaking her head, she turns her head, making Sasuke move back a bit. "Where are we going today then?"_

"_Somewhere far, far away," He leaned back down, watching Sakura's eyes widen a bit as he got closer. He whispered, his voice wavering over Sakura's face, blowing Sakura's bangs to the side, "Where no one can bother us."_

_Sakura felt her face heat up to a degree that she might pass out. _No, _Sakura's mind rages as she turns abruptly and rolls off Sasuke and her sofa, _don't fall for him! _"Ready then?"_

_He nods and gets up as well._

_X_

_When he said 'no one', Sakura immediately understood that he was referring to her friends, especially her best friend, Ino. But this… this was a huge understatement!_

_It was the park, Far, Far Away (a movie sponsored by Disney and promoted to be built into an amusement park— Shrek) that Sasuke took Sakura to. Having never been to this particular park before, Sakura has no clue where to go, what to do. _

_From afar, little kids ran screaming and laughing at each— their parents smiling and taking pictures as other kids played on the statues of ogres and magical characters. Sakura stood beside Sasuke who wasn't paying attention to the little youngsters and instead was observing the sky. _

"_If I known this was a kiddies park," Sakura states, quite disappointed, "I would've taken longer in the bathroom." _Getting thrown to those pack of dogs would've been better than spending her lovely Saturday at a kid's park, _she thinks. "I'm surprised you didn't haul your bodyguards with you."_

"_Aa." He nodded and then started walking towards the east way of the park. "Over here."_

_Sakura followed as Sasuke made a few corners and then the trip ended as they entered a small playground. They stood in the middle of the entrance and families filled with more children than to count were piling in, surrounding them. He gestured her forward and when she didn't budge, he looked at her questioningly. "Go on."_

"_But __**we're**__ in a kids' park!" Sakura grumbled, scratching her arm and kicking the dirt with the tip of her shoe, "The parents might report us as—"_

_Sasuke rolled his eyes, "You've been reading too much mangas." He pressed his hand on her back and gave her a little push. "Hurry up."_

_It took Sakura a little more courage to enter the kids boundary of their so called 'fort' and it took a lot out of Sasuke not to laugh at her pathetic performance of trying to enjoy her time. "Act like you're having fun at least."_

_Sakura glared at him and snapped harshly, "You're one to talk. I don't see you laughing or smiling! If you haven't noticed, Prince Emo, __**people**__ are looking!"_

_Indeed, as Sakura was climbing the small rock wall to get to the ship (Shrek had accidentally sunk in the movie), it began with a few kids that started pointing to their parents that a teenage girl with pink hair was joining their fun. More and more grownups and kids started staring at her until Sasuke came into view, glancing at them and gave them an acknowledging nod. _

"_I thought you're used to this, Saki!" Sasuke motioned to the kids running around, playing tag. He walked over to Sakura who was sliding down a small pole and landed on the ground a second later. "After all, you did drag me to your nursery yesterday!"_

"_Not my fault, you said you wanted to go on a date!" She rolled her eyes, "Well Ino insisted I should babysit you, haha."_

_With a flip of her hair, Sakura faced Sasuke who leaned against one of the supporting poles that held up the playground. "Hn. Well, this is payback then."_

"_No! You already escorted me to detention twice! I rather consider that a date than this 'take out'…" She made a face and pouted, "I've babysat kids every week, and do you think I want to spend another day working with those brats? You must have a soft head if you think I'm that flexible with kids!"_

"_Aa." Sasuke shook his head and crossed his arms, "Well we're here, so enjoy your self."_

"_BUT this is boring, Sasuke." Sakura stomped her foot, "Let's do something other."_

"_Like what?"_

_Sakura grinned and skipped over to Sasuke and reached up grabbed at his shirt collar and pulled him down. If anyone saw from afar, they would have thought Sakura had pulled Sasuke into a kiss but at the same time, a little girl not too far from them giggled and yelled at her friends, "Look, they're being lovey-dovey, like mommy and daddy!"_

'Sakura, a guy likes it when a girl plays hard to get.' – Ino

_Once Sasuke turns his head to listen to what Sakura had planned, she whispers something quite inappropriate but rude all the same. Taking a step back, Sakura sticks her tongue out and props up a peace sign before running a few feet away. Glancing back to see if he was behind her, she noticed Sasuke's face change from surprised to a deep impression where the corners of his lips dropped to a frown. _

"_Wanna get laid?" _Sakura voiced out, making Sasuke's eyes widen a bit at her proposal. He failed to notice that she was joking as her next words made his blood boil, _"Just crawl up a chicken's butt and wait.*"_

_Maybe she shouldn't have said that; the look on his face was like throwing a pup against a wall. After all, Sasuke did take her all the way out here; not only taking away her Saturday, she realized but spending his own Saturday with her and at this baby park. _

'Saku, be yourself— any guy who would like to get to know you will understand.' – TenTen

_Ten's right; Sasuke deserved every little thing that ever hurt her. She shouldn't be feeling the slightest of guilt— like he said, she should enjoy this day while she can. She skipped away, not bothering to see if Sasuke had caught up with her or not, his loss. _

_Walking out the exit of the kid's section, Sakura strolled to the middle of the park's attraction and started observing where she was at. Located on the east side of the park, Sakura momentarily headed north, towards a stand where a huge map was tacked, pin pointing different locations and fun attractions to visit. _

_She stops at the sign and trails her finger on the map from where the park entrance was to an X marking 'you are here'. Swallowing hard, Sakura blinks and the quickest realization she came up with all morning was that she hadn't had anything to eat. Feeling for a wallet or some quarters in her pocket, Sakura gasps and almost faints due to the fact that Sasuke was the one treating her out today and she hadn't bother taking her wallet because since the game started when she woke up, she didn't have the slightest clue, she'd be wandering around a baby park with no money, no ID, no pho—_

_Sakura gasps, her hand slapping against her chest. She had stashed her phone into her bra for safe keeping. Looking around, Sakura freezes from reaching into her shirt when she sees a family of four pauses and turn their direction, as if they hadn't seen her weird actions. Call that awkward… Reaching in her shirt and taking the phone out, she strolled through her contacts and started calling people, nonetheless, her friends to come save her._

"_The person you are trying to call is unavailable. Please leave a message or try again. Good bye." – Ten_

"_Heeeey! It's Ino Yamanaka, Princess of Leaf High— if this is an emergency, press 1. If you're calling from Craigslist, get lost. If you're either one of my closest and personal friends or family, please leave me a message liiiiike…. BE—" - Ino_

_No point in calling Temari— her voice mail is completely ridiculous and straightforward, unlike TenTen's. On the other hand, she could call Hinata but Hinata caught the flu three days ago and she didn't want to bother her while she's trying to recover. Having no other options except contacting one of her guy friends, including Shikamaru, who would think it's too bothersome is out of the question, Naruto, taking him away from his favorite lunch hour— a definite no, Neji… he's probably taking care of Hinata; Kiba, he's probably with Ino at this very moment. Lee? Why does she even have his number?_

'Sakura, maybe you should start doing the opposite of what everyone's suggesting?' – Temari

_Like not taking your words seriously? _Thanks Temari,_ Sakura thinks, rolling her eyes. If only her friends could see how much of a blast her day has been. They would have probably laughed at her for who knows how long… bad idea. (Maybe not Hinata, but who knows? Maybe she has a dark side hidden within her…)_

_Sighing, Sakura looks at the time in her phone. Quarter to noon; that reminded her, where in the world was Sasuke? _

_Should she go looking for him? Did he get lost? She doubted anyone would lose sight of her, despite her pink hair sticking out the most from her features besides her bright, jaded eyes. What's the coincidence of a situation where she would be standing next to the huge map— aka the lost and found section? _

_Looking around, something inside her chest tightened, like pulling a harp's string and listening to the melody of it cry out. Yes, Sakura felt the mute sound rumble through her throat— ladies and gentleman, Sakura Haruno has whimpered because she, in fact, lost her precious escort slash date. _

"_This isn't fun anymore!" Sakura thinks aloud, her eyes flying from one face to another. Where was Sasuke when she needed him? With no luck just standing there, Sakura made a decision to move her feet and wander around; she even had the brains to head back to the place she last saw Sasuke. _

_More and more families have entered the small area. Troops of children were running, screaming, laughing— a few almost had pummeled Sakura down, maybe even trampled over her if it wasn't for her quick actions to stick to the sidelines. _

_Feeling a little lonely and out of place, the world spins, her eyes trailing over heads of families and children and statues and a nest of black hair. Sakura's chest rises as her assumption makes her heart pound with relief. "Sasu—"_

_The person turns around and it's a different face, with blemishes hidden by a cake load of foundation. Sakura holds back a sickening gasp and turns away, her hand resting on her opposite shoulder blade. _This can't be happen.

_Should she get the park's police and report herself missing so that Sasuke can find her easily? What a silly idea, she laughed to herself and continued searching the many heads among families entering and exiting the kid's playground. _

_Everyone seems happy, so why should she act like she was? She turns to see a family of three hugging with a camera in front of them. That could be her and her parents… She couldn't remember the last time she spent fun times with her parents before they sent her to live with her godmother, Tsunade, the principal of her HLK while her parents spent their endless days working overseas. _

'Sakura chan, does Naruto notice me because of my stuttering?' – Hinata

_Hands, warm hands grasped her shoulders made her gasp and look up as she turns to the owner, "Found you."_

_Feeling overly exhausted and yet relieved at the same time, Sakura's chest lightened as Sasuke stood there in her sights, his face cleared from any foundation, his eyes filled with concern as he reaches up to brush a tear that escaped her eyes. Jumping into his open arms, Sakura makes sure to grip his shirt, for fear that if she didn't, it would all be her mind playing tricks on her, "Sasuke!"_

_His hands vibrated against her back as they slid to a lock around her waist. Sasuke throat hummed as Sakura held tighter to his shirt. This time she was sure, she didn't care if people were looking— she was, after all, found by Sasuke. "Did you miss me?"_

"_I t-thought you go-ot lost!" Her voice was muffled from his shirt. _

_Sakura heard a quiet snort that slipped from Sasuke lips, "Me? No need, I found you instead."_

"_Excuse me," A woman's voice spoke from behind Sasuke. Feeling him turn, Sasuke acknowledged the woman. "Is she alright? I noticed she looked kind of lost a few moments ago."_

_Sakura wiped her face with her free hand. Someone actually noticed her! Oh man, now she's making her feel shy. Sasuke chuckled and nodded at the woman, "She's fine."_

"_I'm glad." The woman laughed softly and directed her next words to Sakura, "You found who you were looking for. He's quite handsome."_

_Handsome! If he was handsome, there'd be a crowd of girls, surrounding his presence and it'd be made clear that she would've found him much faster. Burying her face into his chest, Sakura turns her attention to how sweaty Sasuke smelt. Ew._

_The woman laughed and descended back to her family. Sasuke unlocked his hands and brought one hand to her head and sighed. "You calmed down yet?"_

Don't talk to me, _Sakura thinks aloud, still angry that she got herself lost— making her lose sight of Sasuke, too. _

"_How's the weather down there?" Sasuke sighs again and comes up with a joke, hoping to lighten up her mood._

_Instead, she grumbles into his shirt, "What do you think?"_

_Was he running around looking for her, like she did for him? He's sweated so much that she was surprised he didn't have sweat marks around his neck collar or under his arm pits. _

"_Right, again," Sasuke ruffles her hair, "How's the toxic fumes down there?*"_

_Pulling away, Sakura frowns and glares up at Sasuke. "Don't do that…" She closes her eyes for a second and reopens them, "…It's not attractive."_

_Parting his lips in surprise, Sasuke looks down at Sakura with amusement in his eyes. Smiling softly, a gesture Sakura is surprised he revealed a soft side to her, he steps back and slips his hand through Sakura's, their fingers intertwining. "Come on then, kiddo."_

"…Don't call me that."

X

_What Sakura didn't know was that Sasuke had intended to bring her to Far, Far, Far Away, an amusement park for teenagers and grownups to enjoy that was connected on the west side of the kiddies' amusement park. _

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_Sunday: TBC_

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A/N: Hey, thanks for reading. I'm stopping here because it's getting late and I think it's long enough to continue another chapter. Please leave a review down below. Thank you!


	5. Chapter 2

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: So Part Two was a bit long for me… but I hope it went well better than chapter one… possibly. This is kind of new for me, instead of uploading one chapter a time to see how many reviews and readers I get, I'm thinking of just uploading the whole story for you guys instead... but we'll see. Enjoy!

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Chapter Two

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_Sunday_

This is it,_ Sakura thought as she shot up from her bed and strolls to her bathroom. Taking her new hairbrush she bought on the way home on Saturday, Sakura tiptoed to her window and opened it. _

_Peering through Sasuke's closed window, Sakura sees his messy hair peeking out from his bed covers. Smirking at her yesterday morning revenge, she swings her hand back and lunges her hairbrush at his window making this huge impact sound, like shooting a flying Frisbee. _

_She didn't care that her new hairbrush fell to its doom— it was the sight of Sasuke falling off his bed, looking around alarmed that his features clearly spelled out 'wth' or in other words, 'shocked'. Sakura snorted, imaging a deer blinded by light beams of a car speeding down a highway. _

_Sakura laughed, her giggles traveling through the window and when Sasuke focused his attention to the bend over pink hair girl trying to catch her breath, his eyes narrowed. "You should of-seen-your fa-face!"_

_Sasuke got up from the floor and traveled to his window. Opening it, he stared at Sakura who was still wearing her pink pajamas and her fluffy bed slippers. He, on the other hand, was only wearing boxers that showed his lean but muscular body. Sakura turned her head, respecting his privacy._

_Ignoring her sexy thoughts he assumed she was thinking upon, he growled, "Good morning, Sakura. I see that you're up early."_

"_Good morning, Sasuke." Sakura coughed and glanced back at him, a tear escaping the corner of her eyes from laughing too hard. "If I didn't wake so early, I would've thought this was a dream. Too bad, it's not!"_

_Laughing again, Sakura sat on her window sill to keep balance. Sakura rolled his eyes and leaned forward over his window's protection rail. Sighing, Sasuke ran a hand through his raven locks and closed his eyes, "People like you are the reason they made the morning after pill.*" _

_Sakura ceased her laughing and slightly choked on her saliva. Turning the insult over like a pancake, she made it seem less offensive. "Excuse me? What's this I hear, jealousy?" This wasn't what she wanted so early in the morning, even though the nerve of getting back at Sasuke was too fun to pick on later. The game has already started and his insult made her choke. _

"_Yes," He reopened his eyes and looked up from his long eye lashes. Sakura cringed at the image of her last night events. "I'm jealous of people who don't know you.* If they did, I wouldn't know you like I do all these years."_

_Was that a compliment? But it sounded more of an insult that she could decipher. Two can play at this game. Rolling her eyes, Sakura dragged her foot out and saddled her window sill so that she wouldn't tip over the edge, "You know… I'm very careful of how I express my opinions of you because I want to put as much vituperation in them as possible.*"_

_Sasuke chuckles, his chest rumbling as a little chortle slips through his lips. Sasuke turns away and scratches at his chest. BEE-EEP! Both heads turned to Sasuke's door as it bursts open. A messenger, dressed in dark clad clothes and wore professional glasses approached Sasuke, bowing in greeting, "Good morning, Mr. Uchiha. I'm sorry to disrupt your secret meeting with Juliet…"_

_Glancing at Sakura, she looks slowly from him to Sasuke and back to him. He's a different messenger than the other ones she's seen. They probably have a code in their own little quarters, talking about her little interactions with their master and calling her, Juliet in that matter, "Sup."_

_Sasuke, who was standing in between the two, shook his head amusingly and waved his hand for the messenger to continue what he was saying._

"_Right! My apologies, sir," He spoke and pushed up his glasses with a finger, "your brother is coming home for a visit and your father wants to have a deep discussion with you."_

_After the messenger left, Sakura swung her foot that was out the window inside only to feel her slipper slip off her foot. Sakura gasps and reaches for it and curses as her slipper vanishes from her sight. Smacking her hand on her forehead while still bent over, Sakura straightens up and pouts at a grinning rival. "What?"_

_He raised two hands in defense and watched as Sakura waved sadly at her dead slipper. "It seems I won't be able to occupy you for the day since I have business to attend to."_

_Sakura's eyes widen at the sudden news that made her heart jump. _Great! _She smiles at him, "I don't mind. Take your time!"  
_

_Sasuke breathes in lowly, a yawn escaping his lips as he turns and walks back to his bed, "Aa, keep talking, I always yawn when I'm interested.*"_

_Sasuke reaches his bed and flops down, dragging his covers from over the bedside and flips it over him. Sakura grinded her teeth together and a hum growled from her stomach. "Fine! Why don't you slip into something more comfortable… like a coma!*"_

_Walking away from her open window, she stomps back to her room and flops on her own bed, sighing out loud. Groaning aloud, Sakura wraps her warm blanket over her and stays like that for a few seconds before her phone vibrates beside her on the countertop of her dresser. _

_She grabs it and reads the text._

_To: Saki_

_Fr: SasuGay_

_Text: "That didn't even make sense, what I think you meant to say was 'Sweet dreams'."_

_Thinking back to what she said, he did have a point. To prove her annoyance to him, she texts him back._

_To: SasuGay_

_Fr: Saki_

_Text: "1-800-DreamOn!"_

_BUZZ!_

_To: Saki_

_Fr: SasuGay_

_Text: "That's the spirit."_

_To: SasuGay_

_Fr: Saki_

_Text: "Watevs!"_

_He didn't reply back after that. Maybe he fell asleep or he was counting sheep when she was texting him. Anyway, hours passed and Sakura grew tired and bored. She even called her friends again but was only lead to their voicemails; she tried calling her guy friends, and thank goodness, at least one picked up._

"_Hello?" A voice on the other end answered._

"_Hey Naruto." Sakura greeted, brushing her fingers through her pink locks as she took a juice carton from her fridge, "What cha doing today?"_

"_Oh, hi Sakura!" Naruto's voice blared in Sakura's ear that she cringed and had to hold the phone at an arm's distance. "I'm actually— ah choo!"_

"_Are you alright, you sound a little…?" Sakura scrunched her face as she tried to decipher what the noise was. _

"_Haha," his voice seemed plugged up, "I kand awk ight meow, I'm soda stick."_

_Sakura blinks and calculates his words equaling to a plug up sick boy, 'Haha, I can't talk right now, I'm sorta sick.' "Oh, you're sick! Did you go to see Hinata?"_

_She didn't have to see him blush but by the sound of him giggling like a little girl in love, explained it all. Holding back a chuckle, she sighed instead, "Alright, well get better then. Don't make it worst by going out to eat ramen."_

_A whine on the other end was loud and clear. "It's not good for your health." Sakura proceeded on her health knowledge. It wasn't good for Naruto to gain a lot of calories— (A/N: *snorts* I actually wrote "It wasn't good for Ramen to gain a lot of calories" thanks Naruto, lol.)— Or the fact that going out in this weather could worsen his health. _

_It had rained hard the night before, sending Sasuke and Sakura rushing home from their eventful adventures. _

"_O-gay. Danks, Socks." Naruto said before hanging up. 'Okay. Thanks Saks.'_

"Sakura, Sakura," A voice entered Sakura's mind as her eyes idled to the side and the shake of her shoulder erupted an alarm inside her. Snapping to attention, Sakura looked around to see her friends and Sasuke looking at her with a shake of his head.

Blinking a couple of times, Sakura stands in her visual class a bit confused to what was happening.

"You were out for five hours!" Ino pointed out, flicking Sakura's forehead, "We were really worried."

_Five hours? _Something clicked in her mind, _was she really out for five hours?_ But, observing her surroundings, she was in her visual class and that didn't take more an hour and a half. Raising a brow at Ino and speaks in a 'matter-of-fact' tone, "No, I wasn't."

"Well," Ino shrugged and slung an arm around her shoulder as TenTen shook her head sadly at Sakura, "It was worth a shot."

"What was going through that head of yours anyway?" Ino announced, whispering in Sakura's ear. A marathon of Goosebumps ran down her arm.

"She was probably thinking about our class field trip to Okinawa this Friday!" TenTen jumped up and moved closer to Hinata. Hinata nodded and clasped her fingers together.

"It sure is expensive though." Hinata pointed out, her thumbs fumbling around each other, "Eighty dollars…"

TenTen hummed and rolled her eyes to the ceiling, "You got a point there but that's why I was working all Saturday and Sunday last week."

Sakura sat down in her seat and pondered on the matter of her friends not picking up their cell phones, "Is that what you were doing?"

Ten nodded and held up a five, "I get my paycheck tomorrow. That way on Thursday, I don't have to worry about feeling like I'm missing anything before we leave."

"We?" Ino's eye fled from her examined nails and glanced at Sakura, "Sak, when do you get your paycheck?"

"…Friday." Sakura's lips move before she can catch what she is saying. Her friends look at her with pity in their eyes.

"We have to turn in the money on Thursday though." Hinata raised her voice.

"Never mind that; is this class trip mandatory?"

Ino gapes and slaps her hands on her cheeks, "Mandatory? What are we, in grade school? Girl, this is Okinawa we're talking about— no school, no homework, just island trips and boys!"

Sakura tilts her head to the side and glances to where Sasuke was standing when she snapped from her reverie but he must have walked out when she was talking to the girls. Questions flew from over her head as Ino fantasized about the trip.

X

"There is no vaccine against stupidity.*" Karin's voice screeched into the phone before flipping her phone shut.

It was lunch time and Sakura was in the food line waiting her turn to prepare her meal when Karin walked in the cafeteria, blabbering noisily on her phone. Slightly curious to whom she was talking about; Sakura glanced at Karin whom started texting away on her phone as she waited impatiently in the opposite line.

Whispers started from a small group and spread like a wave in both lines Karin and Sakura stood in. Keeping her mouth shut, Sakura tried hard to listen to one rumor flying around.

"_Did you hear? Sasuke broke up with Karin!" One person whispered excitedly, "That means we still have a chance!"_

"_I thought it was just a fling," Another person spoke a little too loudly; "They were never dating to begin with."_

"_That's what I heard— I doubt Sasuke even liked her from the start. She probably was a one night's stand!" A male voice entered the gossip group. _

"_That's right!" A female interrupted, and giggled, "I heard she was born in the red light district!*"_

A small wave of laughter filled the room and trailed out the food line, probably spreading amongst the cliché groups.

"_That's probably where she got her hair color from!" Another round of laughter made Sakura look over at Karin who had her eyes narrowed at people. _

"_Quick, look away!"_

"_Don't look, she's staring!"_

"Who are you trying to hide from?" Karin shouted, making all the voices cease in their jokes and mocks. "Say what you need to say in my face, cowards."

"You should do some soul-searching. Maybe you'll find one!*" A voice shot up amongst the quiet students minding their own business. No one didn't say a word or pointed out who said it.

Karin's eyes flew to where the person had spoken. Sakura parted her lips as the line moved up and Karin swallowed hard when a particular person came into view. Everyone parted like the red sea when they realized it was Sasuke with three of his bodyguards trailing behind him.

"You aren't the worst person in the world—*" Some one said suddenly, defending Karin to show that he/she is on her side.

"Yeah!" Another laughed, "Until one worse comes along, you'll do.*"

It couldn't be helped, everyone burst into laughter. Sakura stood there uncomfortably since the voice came from behind her. Once everyone's laughter slowly faded, their eyes seemed to fly to Sakura who looked out of place or even guilty for staying silent. Karin's eyes narrowed when she followed everyone's gaze and stopped at the pink hair girl.

Circling her eyes to avoid Karin's hard glare, Sakura moved up in the line and grabbed a tray. Karin did the same, her eyes never leaving Sakura's face.

"Karin." Sasuke's voice was smooth and silky that it made half the girls in the room almost squeal if it wasn't for Karin's growl, they held it.

"Shut up!" Karin snapped and grabbed a spoon of mash potatoes and with a swift hand launched the spoon and potatoes at Sakura. "I hate you!"

It hit Sakura's shoulder blade who flinched at the sudden impact. Everyone gasped. "Karin." Sasuke's voice drifted forward. Sakura looked behind her at Karin only to be hit in the face by gravy sauce.

"**Karin.**" Sasuke's voice was now hard as he stepped forward, yanking Karin's hand away from another spoon of corn and beans this time. "_Stop it."_

Pulling away from his grip, Karin drops her tray and uses her other hand to reach over at the fruit stand and throws an orange at Sakura who ducks in time. It bounces off another student who instead got hit. Everyone gasps and holds their breath before someone in the crowd yells out, "FOOD FIGHT!"

Sakura watched as food was being thrown across the room and people getting hit, laughing or crying out loud. This gossip mound has turned into a hectic war of— is that a frog? Sakura lurches forward, ducking another spoon of jello aimed for her face.

"EW, get your hands away from me!" Sakura could hear Karin scream from somewhere afar.

Salad was thrown over Sakura's shoulder as she decided to take a peek from how bad the room looked. She could see Ino screaming as she got chocolate pudding all over her top, her hands flailing for a napkin but saw that there was nothing to wipe off her disastrous shirt.

"Sakura!" Hinata called out from her left. Sakura looked over in time to see Hinata slip. Crawling to her friend, she grabbed Hinata's arm and pulled her under the fruit stand.

"Hinata, it's dangerous out there. What were you thinking?"

"Gomenasai," Hinata apologizes, nodding her head feverishly, "I reported the situation. I'm sorry!"

_If she reported the situation before or even after the fight started, where are the teachers? _Sakura thinks, her mind reeling through questions and possibilities of escape. "What's happening out there?"

"TenTen's fighting off a few freshmen and juniors and she's helping Ino ward off some of the senior's jocks." Hinata explained. "Kiba is over there," She pointed towards the cafeteria's exit, "holding off any more students wanting to get in on the food fight."

"Where are Naruto and Sasuke?"

Hinata remained silent at the sound of Naruto's name, "Naruto got hit by a soda can— I saw one of Sasuke's bodyguards drag him out the lunch room."

"Oo, that got to hurt." Sakura thinks aloud as Hinata agrees saying it wasn't an empty can either.

"Sasuke…?" Hinata glances around the room, her quick gaze examining the room but failed to notice any jet black hair. Wait! "I think I see him, he's—"

Sakura screams as Hinata is knocked over by a bag of flour. "Hinata! Hinata, hey stay with me! You okay?"

_Dear general,_ Sakura thinks military like,_ Hinata is out. She got shot by a bag of flour. She won't be awake anytime soon. Sakura has to get Hinata to safety, or out, if possible. Sakura coughs in effect and signs out. _

Looking around once more, Sakura grabs Hinata by her forearms and drag her to the space within the food stand. Kicking the flour sack away from them, she watches as it falls over and makes a poof of white air particles.

Crawling out from the stand, Sakura silently promises that she'll be back for Hinata and prays that everything will work out for her as she tries to flee this disaster. Quickly standing, Sakura makes a dash from the kitchen to the door where the line starts only to shriek when a frog, bug eyed jumped at her. Swatting the frog, it bounces off a wall and twitches on the ground. _Ew! _

Taking the corner, Sakura stays on the sidelines but notices too late that this food fight looks more of a tournament of dodge ball. "Crap!" A pair aims for her stomach but Sakura backs a step before ducking and running as fast she can to the exit.

On her way to the doors, Sakura was lucky to get off easily with only a few muck of food trailing from her pant leg and shoes. SPLAT! Sakura freezes mid step and feels the juice running down her neck. Twitching at the sudden turn of events, Sakura turns and sees Sasuke standing there next to a jock holding an open can of juice.

The jock runs off leaving Sakura devastated and Sasuke, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. He has been framed! Tossing the can to a trashcan lining the wall, it went in.

X

"Dear Students of KLH… This is Tsunade, your principal speaking," Tsunade announced over the intercom at two thirty, "Everyone who was involved in the food fight, please report to the cafeteria immediately. In the mean time, our health examination that will be held tomorrow at nine to eleven will be in the gymnasium. Do not skip out or be late. Thank you."

"_What _in the world do you think this cafeteria is design for?" Tsunade yells at the students who participated in the food massacre. Some people still hadn't cleaned themselves up, and some were dressed in their gym clothes.

Sakura was standing in line, to be exact, in between Sasuke and Karin. How awkward could this get? Ten and Kiba were right behind Sasuke and Karin's groupie beside her.

"Some people were sent to the nurses office due to all your destruction," Tsunade motions to the food on the wall, trash and mush trailing the tables and floor. The kitchen was the worst picture of it all; practically all the pans were on the ground, and juice became a slip and slide for people who got injured, unlike Hinata who was sent to the nurse's office due to a sack of flour. "**This** isn't a playground! You want to act like children, go outside; no, off school property! It's not my problem— oh god; what will your parents say?"

"This is a disaster! Not only did your actions cause all of this," Tsunade's eyes sweep across the room, "but now the health examination will have to be moved to the gym instead. Do you know how much time I've put into managing this school?"

"Karin started it."

Karin gasps as her two friends start defending her, taking a step forward.

"I— who said that?" Tsunade narrowed her eyes, searching for the culprit who spoke up. "Come on, you're already in trouble as it is, why hide now?"

A student with brown hair steps forward, her eyes focused on the ground, "She made the first swing."

Karin stumbles forward but Tsunade holds a hand. One of Sasuke's bodyguards steps forward and grabs Karin before she could do anything to the student. Karin turns and points at Sasuke, "_He _provoked me!"

Everyone looks at Sasuke. Sasuke doesn't move or say anything to deny the accusation. Sakura looks around the room, at the people who stands in front of her. Why is it that they were separated from each other? They were all involved in the fight but why was it that she was in this crowd. She didn't throw any food at a student; technically she didn't do anything except hide Hinata and flee the chaos.

Pursing her lips, Sakura's eyes flicker to Sasuke. He exhales a heavy sigh and blinks with enough energy as he can muster. It looks exhausted from today's events. Sakura raises a brow before having the decency to nudge his arm with her elbow.

Blinking away the tiredness creeping into his mind, Sasuke turns an eye to Sakura who glances up at him, concern filling in her eyes. He shrugs.

"Sakura," Tsunade's boom voice made Sakura snap to attention. "What's your say in all of this?"

"Uh…" Sakura began as she started thinking of excuses to use. "I was…"

She recalled light whispers going through one ear and out the other as more gossip riled up amongst the students.

"_**That's right!" A female interrupted, and giggled, "I heard she was born in the red light district!*"**_

_Oh good comeback_, Sakura thinks but a sudden pang pulls at her chest and she thinks otherwise, okay_, sure that was harsh to say, but doesn't Karin deserve that? She did make everyone feel lowly of them selves, what more does a few insults do to goad Karin?_

_**A small wave of laughter filled the room and trailed out the food line, probably spreading amongst the cliché groups. **_

"_**That's probably where she got her hair color from!" Another round of laughter made Sakura look over at Karin who had her eyes narrowed at people. **_

Okay, now that was totally not worth repeating. Sakura's eyes flashed as she feels Karin's gaze linger on hers. Biting on her lip, Sakura narrowed her eyes at each of the student's faces, "I'm still struck by the hair comment."

"You Bit—" Karin roars, surprising everyone as she lunges at Sakura in a choke hold who bumps into Sasuke.

It was like slow-mo, most of the students were running forward to crowd around for another fight, Karin's friends jumped in, Amy who made the first punch to Ten's jaw made her teeter back, Amber who blocked Kiba's way from helping his friends.

"Wait, wait!" Sakura coughs, grasping Karin's hands on her throat. Sasuke helps too, while holding her in his arms, supporting her weight. "I un-derst-and! I'd be- mad if- someone said that- to my face!"

Not letting go, Karin's nails dug into Sakura's skin making her wheeze. She screams, tears sliding down her cheeks, sending mascara running, "You think! You would totally think that up!"

'FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!' The room were filled with the student's chants of a new fight occurring.

Karin kicks at the principal, sending her reeling backwards, but she doesn't let go. It takes three of Sasuke's bodyguards to ward off any students from crowding around Tsunade and the advisors who tried help pull Karin off.

The room was shaking. Tilting almost— Sakura could see spit fly from Karin's mouth as she screams at Sakura. Her nails puncture deeper into her throat, pain shoots through Sakura, her face red from the lack of oxygen. Coughing, Sakura lays there in Sasuke's strong hold as he shouts at Karin to stop and with his free hand; he's pulling at Karin's fingers.

She guesses he got enough of all this crap he's been dealing with. Did she even notice that maybe Sasuke was suffering through it all?

With Karin?

With Naruto and his ramen?

With her pranks all those months and what about the game she promoted to him?

Was he tired of it all? Just like her?

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A/N: Yeah, sorry for the drama-llama. *When will this story end?* - I'm really dying from putting this trilogy together. It'll be done soon though, so take your time reading while you can. Tootles!


	6. Chapter 3

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: Okay, I'll admit that I'm not a very good drama-llama writer, and so I hope Chapter Two didn't suck that badly. Anyway, please read and review!

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Chapter Three

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Sakura wakes up to a dark ceiling, a black veil hooping the bed frame in a design. Propping her head up, Sakura's eyes examines the room she is in. Despite the lights off, it was a much bigger room than she had expected to be in. A desk with a lamp shade was on the right side a few feet away from the door that was diagonal from where she was lying. Straight ahead, Sakura spotted a screen TV with an Xbox and controllers at the bottom and was sitting in front of a sofa that was in middle of the room. Another door was parallel to the door next to the desk and on her left, a mini fridge sat on top of the bedside table adjacent to the bed.

_Is she in hell?_ She thinks, because either this room needs a color change or the window needs to be stripped of its curtains. Blinking, Sakura lays her head back onto the pillow and exhales a relieved breath.

"Good morning."

Sakura gasps, startled by the sudden greeting of a voice that she didn't recognize, she slapped a hand over her fast beating chest. She cringed at the tiny needles that shot above her chest.

He steps in view making Sakura stare in question. _Sasuke?_

Closing the door behind him, he makes his way to the foot of his bed. "Comfortable?"

_What? _Sakura can now see that Sasuke's wearing actual clothes, and not his usual boxers but she's pretty sure he's wearing them underneath. Besides, why did he say morning to her? It's pretty dark outside, she could tell by her peripheral vision.

Swallowing at the situation she was in, it finally dawned on her. This _hell_ she assumed the room she was in was in fact Sasuke's. Why was she in his room, in his bed? Pursing her lips…

She nodded.

"Good." He sat on the edge of the bed, making her foot sink from his weight, "Now get out."

_Say what? _

Sakura inwardly pushed the monotone daydream to the back of her mind and nodded.

He nodded, understanding and walked up to where she laid, her eyes following every movement he was taking. Swallowing hard, Sakura coughed out a whimper. Her hand sliding up to her throat, she stares in space.

"My fault," He mutters, opening the drawer underneath the fridge and took out a glass. Holding it in one hand, he opens the fridge door and takes out a bottle of clear liquid. Unscrewing the bottle, he then pours the fluid into the cup and offers it to Sakura. She stares at him, a brow raised in confusion. "Here, sit up."

Why is Sasuke nursing her like she's injured? Why is she even here in the first place? What did she miss? Sitting up, Sakura eyes the cup Sasuke hands to her which she takes. He gives her a nod to continue. She raises the glass to her lips and takes a sip of the liquid slowly and cautiously before downing the whole glass.

"Better?" He takes the cup once she's done and places it on top of the fridge.

"Much." Sakura feels her cheek heat up. _Can this get any awkward than it already seems? _Licking her lips, she starts, "So…"

"Did it," Sasuke began, filling in on her initiative to strike up a conversation, "hurt when you fell from heaven?"

What the? That was unexpected. Sakura throws Sasuke a weird look, the corners of her lips curving up from his lame pick up line. Was he trying to cheer her up or something? Well, it worked. "No," She whispered, laughing a little. "But I did scrape my knee when I crawled out of hell."

He stands there with a dumb look on his face. His eyes flickered to hers though, something sparking as if her comeback gave him energy. A low vibration erupted from his chest and made its way passed his lips. Sasuke laughed an actual laugh.

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Feeling a whole lot better from the previous night, Sasuke allowed Sakura to roam around in his mansion— not only for her health but because Sakura was becoming bratty.

"So it was you Karin was talking to on her phone?" Sakura turns her heel and faces Sasuke who was checking her, making sure she wasn't poking her head into off-limit rooms.

Sasuke shrugged, "Aa."

"What made her hate you so badly that you had to provoke her with your defense for me?" Sakura walked backwards, letting her hand run across the walls.

Sasuke smirked, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I do." Sakura gave him a pointed look, earning herself a chuckle.

With a shake of his head, Sasuke followed silently behind her as she stopped at a door that was left ajar. "Not telling."

Curious to what was behind the door, Sakura stepped closer, her hand posed on the door's surface and just before she pushes it open, Sasuke's hand reaches forward and grabs her wrist.

Turning her head, she locks eyes with his. "This," He nodded his head at the door, "isn't something you should stick your nose into."

Pursing her lips, Sakura slides her eyes from Sasuke to the door. Quirking a brow up, she feels her gut do a flop. What was so important that Sasuke won't let her in on the secret? Was this room an office for where Sasuke's hides inappropriate things, like playboy mags? But couldn't he hide stuff like that in his own room?

Sasuke walks on, pulling her hand along. Doing a one eighty spin, Sakura follows Sasuke away from the suspicious room they leave behind. Peeking over his shoulder, Sasuke sees Sakura glance behind, probably coming up with a plan to head back there and satisfy her own curiosity. Making a swift turn, Sasuke jerks Sakura towards him.

Sakura gasps and catches her footing before tripping over her own feet.

"Tomorrow is our class's field trip to the Okinawa's islands." Sasuke informed, giving Sakura a serious frown. "Did you already pay your fee?"

With another gasp, Sasuke watches Sakura's expression turn from curiosity to a devastated shock. Sakura suddenly slaps her forehead, "Today's the deadline, isn't it?"

He nods.

Exhaling loudly, Sakura reaches up and rubs her eyes, "This week's been hectic, with the flu spreading, projects due and the—"

"The love game?"

"— food fight…" Sakura ends at the same time Sasuke adds in his say. "Oh my gosh! The game! Sasuke, we're still on a contract… but how are we going to see who falls first if I don't attend tomorrow's field trip?" She gasps like the umpteen time, "Which reminds me (since Ino didn't exactly answer my question before), is the field trip mandatory because if it is… I'm screwed and if it isn't, then… heck, I'll be— am I boring you?"

Sasuke was leaning on the opposite wall from her with his arms crossed. "Hn." He sighs, "I don't mind that you are talking, so long as you don't mind that I'm not listening.*"

Sakura stands there, her eyes narrowed at the annoyance of how Sasuke's treating his guest. Like come on, earlier he was all goody-two shoes and now he's turning the tables? Swallowing the lump in her throat, Sakura shakes her head in disbelief, "Harsh."

"Does it matter?" Sasuke shrugged, pushing off from the wall. "Grade or not, trips like these are better than going to school…"

He does have a point, Sakura reasoned in her mind. "Besides, I would think you'd be happy not ending up in detention again, or worst, facing your guardian's wrath?" He spoke; his voice had turned into a convincing lure trapping her with his words.

_What is he trying to say? Does he want her to come on this trip? Will he be lonely if she didn't attend?_ Her mind blares awake. Concentrating on a thought that makes it to the front of her mind, two words blink: LOVE GAME! _Could this be it? He asked her first! Was he hoping that she'd be tagging along with him and their class?_ It almost sounded to her like he's desperate. _Wait until Ino hears this!_ "Is this about the game?"

He blinks, not expecting her answer. "What?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you wanted me along on this trip." This time it was Sakura's turn to smirk in triumph, "Despite your concern for my well-being earlier and the fact that you asked if I paid my fee."

Huffing at her choice of words, Sasuke rolls his eyes and takes a step towards her and traps her against the wall. With a chuckle, he speaks in a hush whisper, "I do recall you stating in your condition with 'hanging out with each other's friends'… the more, the merrier, right?"

Sakura swallows a little too loudly for her sake. Sasuke snickers. _Did he have to close her in like that?_ Making her feel slightly uncomfortable and what if someone walks in on them? It wouldn't be just awkward; they would think something was up with the two rivals? Not rivals, possibly hidden love?

Sakura scowls and whacks Sasuke's hand away from the side of her head. But he didn't budge. "Quit fooling around, or didn't you learn from what Ino said before?"

"That is…?"

"What does my condition have to do with your denial?" Sakura adds, earning her a quizzical look, "We haven't been really following the rules of the game… like Ino had said before." Sasuke hears Sakura mutter to herself, "Even when we try, it doesn't go according to the game."

"Aa."

"Condition number one: Sweet talking." Sakura holds up a finger, "We've been doing that for the past week…"

"More like insulting each other."

"No one asked you," Sakura rolls her eyes but agreed anyway and holds up another finger, "Moving on, play fight."

Sasuke raises a brow, "Done. Yesterday."

Sakura makes a face, "I wouldn't call that _fun _but heck, we'll go with it then. Three, talk twenty four seven."

Sasuke licks his lips, "We've practically been doing that since the game started."

Sakura contemplated his say in the matter, "Yeah, but… I don't feel like it changed anything between us. I mean, we've been hunting each other since a year ago."

Sasuke scoffs, "Aa."

Holding up four fingers, Sakura continues, "Morning and night time greets."

"That's number five." Sasuke laughs haughtily, "Dating was four."

Sakura looks at him with a twisted 'so what' look, and shakes her head at him, "Whatever. Your so called 'dates' have only been linked to having detentions with you and the time I brought you to my job. Other than that, our greetings haven't been really…"

"Nice." Sasuke offered leaning in.

Sakura scoffs at him and catches his eyes, "Didn't think 'nice' was in your vocabulary box, but okay."

Huffing, Sasuke brushes his bangs from his eyes, "Six, phone calls all night long."

"Technically, we've been talking through text messaging. I rather that than hear your robotic, monotonous voice answering single syllables." Sakura scratches her chin in thought. She laughs.

Chuckling in amusement, he can imagine it. "Seven, taking walks."

Sakura remembers the Saturday before; Sasuke had taken her to Far, Far Away where she had lost sight after she ran off. That night, it started to rain and Sasuke hadn't brought along his body guards since it wasn't allowed in the game unless it was an emergency and so they walked home together. When they got to their separated doors, they were soaked to the bone.

"Eight, hold each… other." Sakura speaks her breath hitch as she realizes that Sasuke was practically hovering over her while she was preoccupied with fingering off their number of conditions. She remembered how vivid Saturday was when she grasped onto Sasuke's shirt after he 'found' her, and thinking that she lost him for good.

"We'll put that aside for now then." Sasuke breathes out, knowing he hasn't in any way held her in a conscious state, unlike the day before when Karin attempted to choke the life out of Sakura.

Nodding slowly, Sakura continues, "Nine, nicknames."

"Pinky."

"Prince Emo."

They both narrowed their eyes at each other's nick name for one another. "Ten, hang out with each other's friends."

"Field trip." Sasuke pointed out, raising a brow at her.

"Eleven," Sakura doesn't break eye contact with him, "hugs."

"And kisses." Sasuke added, knowing perfectly well how much she denied that part in the game. "Will end the whole game."

"Agreed."

_And whoever falls first __**loses**__. _

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"How is it over there?" Sakura sighs into the phone, looking out at the rain. It was Friday night and her friends and classmates had boarded the plane to Okinawa earlier that day and now she sits at her bay window, listening to the rain pour while she's spends minutes talking to Ino.

"It's great! The weather here is absolutely beau-ti-ful for sight-seeing," Ino giggles from the other end. Different voices were screaming or laughing in the background, Sakura sighs again. "Wish you were here, you're missing all the fun."

"Yeah, well… don't ogle at boys too much and take lots of pictures." Sakura advised, knowing Ino wasn't really paying attention to her, probably still hooked on daydreaming.

"Of course," Ino hummed and laughed into the phone, "The girls say hi."

"Give them my regards," Sakura smiles and places a hand on her window. Cold and slippery; she slides her finger trailing a clear view from the fog and draws a sad face.

"Will do. _Is that Sakura on the phone? _Yeah, why? _Lemme say hi to her!_" It sounded like Naruto was behind Ino, trying to get a say to her. "No way, you're going to spend all my minutes— _like you're the one to talk to! _Excuse me? _You're excused. _Why I oughta…" Ino conversed with Naruto on the phone.

Sakura chuckled, same ol' Naruto. "Hey, tell Naruto I said hi. I have to go now, storm's brewing outside."

"Oh? Okay, bye Sak—!" Sakura hanged up on her.

The wind was harsh outside, smacking trees and throwing trash cans across the yard. Sakura lowered her eye lids, exhaling softly as she placed her forehead on the cold window's surface.

"_Sakura, I noticed you didn't pay your fees for the trip." Tsunade noted, pulling her hair from her face and bundled it together into a small bun. _

_Sakura nodded slowly, her face constricted with a frown. She picked up her fork and stabbed her steak on her plate. "Can't do anything about it now; everyone left this morning."_

"_Well, there's a lesson to all of this." Tsunade spoke, her voice leveled as she eyed Sakura's meat. "Pay dues early; don't have to suffer in the end."_

_Sakura nodded solemnly, picking up the steak and brought it to her lips. Taking a bite, she tore off the fat and spat it back onto her plate. Grease dripped from her chin as she looked up at her guardian. "As if I want to go on that trip."_

_Tsunade grabbed her napkin and reached over the table, "Here, use it to wipe off your chin."_

_Sakura remained silent at the table. Tsunade sighed heavily and dropped the napkin next to her plate. It was just her and her godmother. No one else occupied the house, there weren't any maids or guards or even pets. The clinking of ice against glasses, forks clashing against the surface of plates as Sakura drags her vegetables to the side. _

"_Please don't play with your food, Sakura." Tsunade sternly directed to Sakura, eyeing her untouched food. "You know better."_

_Sakura shrugs and slumps against the table, dragging her fork across the plate. "Sakura." Her godmother narrows her eyes at her behavior. _

_Sakura throws her fork down, letting it clatters with a ring. Rolling her eyes, Sakura grabs her glass and takes a sip of her juice. "What does it matter?"_

"_Your mother raised you not to—" Tsunade huffs, and takes a bite of rice and chicken._

"_**My **__mother isn't here." Sakura slammed her glass onto the table, startling Tsunade. It was rare seeing Sakura get angry at the dinner table. She had always kept quiet whenever her parents were mentioned. _

"_Yes," Tsunade went on, "But she left me in your care."_

_Sakura groans quietly to herself. Stretching her fingers, she tapped annoyingly on the table. Tsunade's eye brow twitches._

"_Sakura, please act civil at the dinner table. It's not every day I come home and spend some quality time with you." Tsunade inhales deeply and lets it out. She sets down her fork and intertwines her fingers together. "Yet alone, have family talks."_

_Sakura's jaw locks. What does she know about her? She doesn't even acknowledge her feelings for her parents, not even at the dinner table. "I don't want to talk anymore."_

"_You can't keep putting this off, Sakura." She spoke, letting go of her hand and reaches up to scratch her head. "Sooner or later, you'll have to face the truth."_

_Sakura growls, feeling her chest tighten, "I already know the truth."_

"_What, that you think your parents abandoned you?" Tsunade quirks a brow, giving Sakura a superior look. _

_Sakura gets up suddenly, her chair screeching as it was pushed back. "Didn't they?" The proof, she was here and where were her parents? How long have they been overseas? Did they visit her on her birthdays? Did they attend her parents' conferences? No! Where were they when she needed them most?_

"_No child." Her godmother looked up at her, seeing that Sakura was holding back hidden tears, "They have business to take care of overseas and it's all for you. They're doing this for you."_

_Feeling betrayed, Sakura thought she'd understand how she was feeling at this point, at anytime her parent's were mentioned. But she was wrong, why was her godmother defending her parents? "That's bull!"_

"_Language, Sakura." Tsunade stands up as well, her voice hardening, ready to give Sakura a stern lecture, "You know perfectly well that language like that isn't permitted in this house."_

"_Then I'll move o—"_

"_Where will you go?" Tsunade urged, leaning over the table, "To your friends who have their own life problems to deal with? To Sasuke?" _

_Sakura's lips parted at the sound of his name. Why did she mention his name? What does he have to do with her? Tsunade's lips formed a line. "Sasuke doesn't need you. He has enough burdens on his shoulders to deal with. Being a mayor's son isn't easy as you think, Sakura."_

_Sakura swallows, her eyes slowly cast down at her food. She couldn't make eye contact with her elder that stood across from her. "I… I know that."_

_A moment of silences engraves the dinner table, between the two females. Sighing loudly, Tsunade shakes her head, "Anyway, you won't be seeing him for much longer, so you better enjoy while you can. Your parents will be coming for you after the school's festival."_

_Thump. Thump. Thumppp… _

Sakura sighed again, opening her eyes from the fresh memory. Her parents are coming back for her after the school's fest so they can start their family again but overseas. She will be taken away from her friends, never to see them until she graduates college. She won't be able to tease or prank her closest rival. She won't be having anymore sleepovers or cat fights in school. It will only be her and her parents. In a foreign country.

Trudging from her room to her bathroom, Sakura locks the door behind her and slides down the surface. Burying her head in her knees, Sakura finally heaves a shuddering breath. What will she tell her friends? How will she tell them?

A tear slides down her cheek as she glances at the window, leading across to Sasuke's bedroom. The game will be a forfeit, a waste of precious time. She admitted she enjoyed teasing and pranking Sasuke; she wasn't really close with him two years ago. They were always at a distance, suspicions rising as their friends started getting closer to each other, possibly having feelings for one another. But her and Sasuke, their relationship was beyond love or friendships. They had a sort of bond for getting on each other's nerves. It was something they both shared— having lived next door to each other for years, and the fact that their lives imprisoned them from having any feelings for each other. He was the mayor's son and she…

THUNK!

A jolt ran up Sakura's neck as she snapped her attention to her bathroom's window. Startled as to what hit her window, she crawled forward and examined what it could've been. Was it a bird? She didn't doubt since the heavy winds started up earlier that day. Opening her window and feeling the rain platter her face, Sakura peers down and sees a… gel bottle?

What the? Sakura scrunches up her face and looks up. Across from her stands Sasuke, a thin line pasted on his nonchalant face. Furrowing her eyes brows, she grips the window sill and averts her eyes down to the gel bottle.

What was he doing here? Wasn't he supposed to be on their class's field trip? Swallowing in her confusion, she cleared her voice, "Why are you still here?"

He didn't say anything but stared at her bewildered position, her knuckles gripped on the railing were turning pale and her voice was merely a whimper to him. It was rare that she would show this kind of face to him and it was only him that noticed it.

His hard expression slowly fades and his eyes induce a soft feature, "I came for you, Sakura Haruno."

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A/N: At first, I really wanted this trilogy to beat around the bush but now it's more than just a one shot, and there are more tragic drama-llamas heading your way. So be ready! Thanks for reading.


	7. Part 3

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: Oh my gosh! We're almost nearing the end of this drastic trilogy! Blast it all, gaaah!

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Part Three

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"Now class, get together in your groups that you've been assigned to." The teacher announced, clapping his hands for everyone's attention.

A lot of people groaned, whined about their partners and some were content with who they have in each group. Two days has passed since they had stepped foot on one of the beaches of Okinawa's islands. Ever since their detour of the islands, the teacher split the classes in two and started picking random people into a group each.

"We are about to depart so gather what you have brought with you. We are now heading to Kadena." The other teacher directed, waving her hands to the bus.

The students piled in, chattering as they did so. Ino and Temari were thankful they had each other in their group, but sad that Hinata and TenTen were paired in a different group. Hinata didn't mind though because she was in the same group as Naruto.

The main groups insisted of Sakura's friends:

Group 1: Ino, Temari, Choje, Neji, etc

Group 2: Shikamaru, Lee, Kiba, Shino, etc

Group 3: Naruto, Hinata, and TenTen (since they were the ones left)

Once everyone was piled in the bus, the eleven including all the girls gasped when they saw who were sitting in the back of the bus, with ear phones plugged in their ears and staring at each other in an intent battle.

"Sakura!" Ino shouted the same time Naruto called out Sasuke's name.

The two broke their gaze and glanced at their companions.

"What are you two doing here?" Ten announced, running to the back and hopped into a seat.

The rest did the same, except with less enthusiasm and wondered what the story behind their unexpected surprise was.

"Well…" Sakura started off, glancing at Sasuke who took his iPod out and clicked back to his playlist.

Sakura smiled gently and shrugged, "Change of plans, I guess."

A song hummed through her head set as Sakura's eyes flickered to Sasuke's choice of songs and recalled back to her earlier escort.

_When our friends talk about you, all it does just tear me down. Cuz' my heart breaks a little then I hear your name… _

X

"_Sneak out." He spoke with his voice low and filled with concern. If she was mistaken, Sakura swore she heard desperation in his tone. _

_Sakura knelt there, her head half way out the window, her hair drenched from the rain. Blinking at his suggestion, Sakura averts her eyes and looks back at her bathroom's door. She peered out at the empty hallway; she didn't hear any noises, just the sounds of rummaging downstairs, the clinking glasses and plates. Tsunade must have been washing the dishes. _

_It was quiet in the house, except the roaring winds tearing at the trees that have been scratching the windows and roofs of their houses. Swallowing, Sakura turns back to where Sasuke stood. Her eyes flickered to his dark, obsidian eyes. Searching for an answer to a question forming in her head; as if on cue, Sasuke reached out his window, his hand outstretched, inviting._

_What did he want her to do? "Jump."_

_Oh. _

"_Sakura?" Tsunade's voice crept from downstairs. Sakura snapped her attention behind. Standing, Sakura placed one foot on the ledge, her hand reaching for Sasuke's. Leaning further out the window, he watched as Sakura picks her self up, hand on the side of her bathroom window for balance. "Sakura, you have a call from your parents."_

_Pausing, Sakura hesitates to reach any further. Her parents were on the phone and wanted to talk to her. She didn't know what was stopping her but she had to make a decision, her life, her future was on the line. If she went with Sasuke, then she could avoid talking to her parents about her move. But if she stayed, then she had wasted Sasuke's efforts. Biting her lip, Sakura feels the rain pelt her skin as she makes the difficult decision she had yet to choose. _

_Shaking her head, she steps down from the ledge. "I… Sasuke…"_

_Scrunching his face in a twist, he looked at Sakura with a confused look; Sasuke's hand faltered for a second, "Sakura?"_

"_Sakura, are you up there?" Tsunade's voice was near. Sakura licked her lips and nodded. "I'm coming up." _

"_Jump Sakura," Sasuke urged, his voice above a whisper, moving his hand further, "Come with me."_

_She flashed a grin, "Right."_

_She back up a few steps and made a running start. Once she pushed off the ledge, she leaped through the window, her hand outstretched for Sasuke to grab. Hand gripping hand, Sasuke pulls her into his arms and falls back just as Tsunade's comes into view. _

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_Do all the things I've should've done, when I was your man… Do all the things I've should've done, when I was your man. _(A/N: When I Was Your Man – Bruno Mars)

"We're almost there, Sakura!" Ten grinned, her eyes sparkling as she starts conversing with Neji about weapons and the sort.

Sakura slowly wakes from her daydream and looks around the bus. Outside the window, they had passed a restaurants and shops. One attraction that caught her eye was a house on top of a tree.

"Whoa, that's cool!" Naruto exclaimed, perhaps wondering the same thing as Sakura, "It's a restaurant alright. Oi, Hinata, let's eat ramen together once we get off."

Hinata turns her head away and nods shyly in agreement.

Sakura turns her head and sees Sasuke with his hand propped up under his chin as he watched buildings pass by the window. Rubbing her fingers together, she raises her hand up to his face.

Using her index finger to poke his cheek, Sasuke suddenly turned his face and was surprised to see Sakura's finger touching her bottom lip. Ino, who was talking to Temari, stopped as she noticed Sakura's doings. Temari turns and is surprised by the scene behind them.

"Aa?" Sasuke opened his lips and breathed out a question.

Feeling the breath on her finger made a tiny shiver run down her arm. Sakura, bright and rosy from her attempt, froze in place as Sasuke stared right into her eyes. If he wanted to, he could have stared through her soul, Sakura thinks. Pale at her result, Sakura drops her hand and decides to divert the situation with a pout. "Party-pooper."

Sasuke's eyes flick to where the two girls were engrossed at his and Sakura's situation. Once their eyes met with his, they gasped and turned back around; resuming their conversation they held earlier. Sasuke glances back at Sakura who holds her hand that was caught on his lips to her chest. Sighing, he turns back to the window, remembering why they were here in the first place.

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_Sasuke hovered over the fallen pinkette as she laid underneath him, hidden from the window in which her guardian was looking for her. He was still surprised that she had jumped from quite a distance, but she made it. They never attempted a big jump like she did before to get to each other's house, since her bathroom and his room were a couple of feet apart. But she did it. _

_He stared into her emerald eyes, speckled by how they flickered in excitement and adventure. Her porcelain skin was clear of blemishes and gleamed from the soft rays of the blue skies. Propped with his arms, Sasuke still had one hand entwined with Sakura's as he grabbed her into his embrace when she leaped. _

_His other hand was at her side, gripping her hip when they fell. He had cushioned her fall but then she rolled over and he had ended on top. Swallowing, Sasuke breathed calmly but knew his situation was a little too familiar. _

'_**Sasuke pushed her down on his bed, his hand grasping her hands in a hold above her head. She gasped, her eyes widen at his actions. The red light was still blinking from across the room. He move; his face trailing butterfly kisses across her collarbone as she breathed hard from her struggles. **_

"_**Get off me!" She huffed, using her legs to kick. **_

_**Sasuke blocked off her attempts with a simple leg between her thighs. "This is rape, Sasuke!"**_

"_**It's not." Sasuke muttered, pausing from laying another kiss on her porcelain skin. **_

"_**Forced rape!" Sakura began to shout but Sasuke silenced her with another deep kiss on her lips. "Mm," She turned her face away breathing heavily, and glared at his other hand caressing her cheek, threatening him, "I'll scream."**_

"_**I'm sure you will." He smirked at her choice of words. She gaped at his perverted thoughts started to surface. She opened her mouth to hack out a scream when Sasuke bit down on her bottom lip.' **_

_Her lips were soft and at the time, he wasn't as gentle as he was being now. Moving his hand off her hip, he pushed up and sat up. He was bent in a straddling position over Sakura and as he did so, he should have known Tsunade from next door was still searching for Sakura. _

"_Uchiha," Tsunade spoke up from behind him. "Have you seen Sakura?" Sasuke could feel Sakura tense from below him. He didn't know why but he turned sideways and gave her a nonchalant look before shrugging. _

_Tsunade sighs and starts apologizing into the phone she holds, telling whoever was on the phone that she wasn't anywhere to be found. Closing the bathroom window, he watches her leave the room and turn to the left where the stairs were. _

"_Sasu-ke?" Sakura wheezed, lifting her big eyes to Sasuke's face. Sasuke turns and gazes down at Sakura. She laid there, hair strewn around her temple, one arm placed on top of his leg and the other pushing herself up. Sakura's face was turning more than just pink, but beet red as she tried to gain a breath or two, "Can't. Breathe."_

_Sasuke suddenly lifted himself off her and grabbed the ledge to pick his self up. Once he stood, he closed his window, shutting out the soft light that pierced over Sakura's roof and into his window. _

_Sakura rolled over to the side, out of sights from her bathroom window and stood up. "Now what?"_

"_We leave." Sasuke spoke from his window and walks across the room to his bathroom, before disappearing and reappearing with a small black duffel bag._

_Quirking a curious brow, Sakura sat on the edge of his bed and watched as Sasuke packed his clothes into a small suitcase. "If Tsunade knew, she'd think we were eloping."_

_He chuckled at her choice of words and shook his head from the presumption of Tsunade. _

"_Where are we going?" Sakura brought her knees close to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees._

"_Where else?" He snorted, dragging his bags to his door. "Okinawa."_

_Sakura pouts, "You don't have to say it that way! And why?"_

_Raising a brow at her whines, Sasuke smirks, "Why not? Unless you want to deal with Tsunade…" Sakura cringed at the mention of her godmother's name. Sasuke continued, "Or… you can spend your days with me, in my bed?"_

_Sakura's eyes widen and she jumps off the bed, shooting Sasuke a quick glare, shaking her head from any past memories recurring in her mind. "Okinawa, it is. When do we leave?"_

_Sasuke opens his door and peers behind him, "In twenty."_

_Sakura nods slowly and starts walking to his window but only to remind her self that Tsunade could still be looking for her and she definitely didn't want to deal with her wrath. Swallowing, Sakura turns to Sasuke, "Sasuke, I didn't bring any clothes with me."_

_Seeming to understand her situation, Sasuke inwardly smacked his head for being unprepared for Sakura's sake. But she didn't have to see his mistake; he was Uchiha Sasuke, after all. The mayor's son who's strategic when it comes to video games, pranking Sakura and other things, "You can borrow some from Ino." _

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"Sasuke! Sasuke!" A shake of his shoulder was pulling Sasuke to a wake. Blinking his eyes from a recurring dream, Sasuke raised his hand to push whoever disturbed his rest. Upon hearing the voice, it was a girl's.

"Everyone's off the bus, gathering their luggage. You should do so too." Ten Ten, one of Sakura's friends pointed out the window. Sasuke raked his hair with a hand and stood up to stretch.

Once everyone was gathered at the front of the base they were dropped off at, they filed into the building escorted by a military officer. The two teachers had split four groups among each class and gave each student an assignment to do while they were touring the grounds of Okinawa's Kadena base.

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"Man, this is boring!" Naruto groans and pouts. He holds his grumbling stomach and looks outside the field. "I'm HUNGRY!"

"Wow, this is great!" TenTen smiled, admiring all the military enforcements. She grabbed her notebook and started writing things down.

On the other hand, Ino and her group were taking pictures and talking about how boring this trip had turned out to be.

"I was hoping for beaches, cute guys to ogle at, and shopping!" Ino whined, stomping her foot as she sulks next to a Choje who sat on a bench, eating a bag of chips.

"I was hoping to bring Akamaru but it would have cost me more money." Kiba muttered, flipping open his phone and stare at his pet's picture.

"Your dog would have been spotted out right away," Ino rolled her eyes, "that's why they call it 'baggage examination'!"

"Like how they confiscated your nail files?" Kiba shot back at Ino. She gaped and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru snorted and sighs as he sits down next to Choje.

Hinata, who walked out of the girl's bathroom crosses over to her cousin and Shino, "It won't be too long, the day is almost ending."

Neji nods and closes his eyes, weary from the whole travel their class was enable to do.

"By the way, where is that Uchiha hiding at?"

"AND SAKURA!" Naruto yelled, forgetting about his appetite. Turning his attention, he crossed the corridor and took one of Hinata's hands and brought it to his chest, "Hinata chan, let's ditch these guys and go out to eat!"

Neji's eye twitched at the closeness between Naruto and his cousin. "Uzamaki, take your hands off my cousin."

"Oh Neji, leave him alone!" Ten spoke, waving a hand at him, "Come over here and check out these weapons!" Neji huffed and turned on his heels.

"Yeah… where are Sakura and Sasuke?" Temari thought aloud.

X

From afar, Sakura was examining small awards that were given to one of the corporals. The ranks were familiar to her, but she didn't get from being a general to a private.

"Think of it as rich and poor."

Sakura recognizes Sasuke's voice but doesn't turn to acknowledge him. Sakura nods, "So a private is the top rank?"

"No." Sasuke says, and points at the level of ranks. He explains it in order until stopping at the badge, "And the general is the top rank."

Sakura pursed her lips, nodding slowly in comprehension. How did Sasuke know so much about the military? Because no one in his family was in the armed forces… well, not that she knows of. "How do you know?"

Who knows, he could have learnt if from being the mayor's son? After all, he does have a lot of guards, so why not?

"My brother told me." Sasuke shrugs, and stuffs his hands into his pants pockets. "His wife's brother is in the military."

That too… Sakura exhales loudly and steps back from the showcase. "It's a bit too hot in here. I'm heading outside, coming?"

"Aa." Sasuke follows Sakura out to where a few groups were scattered around, chattering. Their teacher was standing on the far end, talking to one of the hosts.

"I wonder if this is what we'll be doing for the next two days." Sakura sighs. "Well two and a half, since today is Sunday."

Sasuke listened and shrugs, walking to a soda machine. Pulling out some coins, he inserted them in and pressed two beverage buttons. A loud clank was heard from within and Sasuke bent down and retrieved the sodas. "Heads up."

Sakura turns in time to see a coke can flying at her face. She catches it and stares at the cold refreshment in her hands before smiling at Sasuke, "Thank you."

"I doubt it." He speaks, opening his soda's cap a bit, not fully where you can see the liquid inside. Squeezing the can and watching the coke erupt from the small opening, he took a sip and glances at Sakura who does the same but opening it wholly and takes a gulp. "Every field trip I've been on, the teachers will allow one day for the students to roam around freely."

"Yeah, I remember." Sakura nods, taking another gulp, "Like that time in Tokyo, hard to get lost in." She hinted at Sasuke knowing not even Sasuke can get lost in Tokyo because of his looks and personality, making girls sway, boys getting jealous and adults impressed by his intelligence and standards.

Sasuke snorts, "I'll say. You and Naruto were mixed in an anime convention, just because of your hair color. Rare and unique."

Sakura grins sheepishly, her face blushing from the memory, "Oh yeah. Well, let's hope we don't get lost here."

Sasuke rolls his eyes and takes a gulp of his can, "I'm sure you won't."

"Why is that?" Sakura's eyes flash, questioning his answer.

"It's Okinawa, way smaller than Tokyo."

_Oh._

Feeling his half empty can, Sasuke kneels down to the ground and tilts his can sideways. It took a moment to balance the can, making sure it doesn't teeter and spill and there! Sakura, surprised and amazed at Sasuke's hidden talent kneels down beside him. "Oh, that's cool! Where'd you learn that?"

"My brother." Sasuke nodded his hand a few inches away from the can, ready to catch it if it falls over.

"I don't think I've ever met your brother…" Sakura rolls her eyes to the sky and thinks back, "Mm… Itachi, right?"

"Aa."

Sakura then takes her can and places it on the ground. She tilts it but instead of balancing on its own, it falls. Pouting, she glances between hers and Sasuke. He shakes his head amused and picks her can up. Weighing the can, he brings it to his lips and takes a gulp.

"Hey!" Sakura makes a face, "That was mine!"

He weighs the can again and then hands it back to her, "Try now."

Pouting once again, she grabs it from him and does as he says. Tilting the can sideways, she feels the can teeter. "It has to have enough liquid inside. If it doesn't tilt now, then take sips of the coke until it tilts just right."

Failing at her attempts, Sakura brings the can to her lips and drinks the coke. Then she places it on the ground and tilts it. This time, it stays balanced. Smiling at her victory, she goes for a high five. Sasuke reaches to smack her hand.

CLICK. CLICK.

"Eh?" Sakura drops her smile and looks at her wrist which has been handcuffed to Sasuke's wrist.

Turning their heads to the jokester, Naruto bends at the knee with a big grin on his face. He squints happily and poses a peace sign. "FOUND YOU!"

"Naruto? What…?" _Is this some sort of joke? _Sakura stared at Naruto bewildered and glanced at Sasuke who was glowering at the stupid blond.

"NARUTO!" Ino and TenTen yelled from behind Naruto. TenTen smacked Naruto upside the head, "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Shikamaru sighs loudly and walks up to the small group. "Handcuffing Sakura and Sasuke, huh?"

Naruto wince and rubs at his head, "Owie! It was YOUR idea Ino; you don't have to take it out on me!"

Ino put up a hand and scoffed, "Please, it was just an after thought; I didn't think you'd do it!"

_Eventually, _Ten shook her head sadly and nudges Shikamaru and whispers, "You know her… She's the kind of woman that you could use as a blueprint to build an idiot.*"

"Naruto!" Sakura yelled over the loud noise.

Naruto stopped his rants with Ino and spun around to face Sakura who held up her and Sasuke's bound wrists. "Explain! Where'd you get the hand cuffs anyway?"

"I found them!" Naruto broke into a grin, "In the armory section."

TenTen whacks his head, "Wait until the teacher hears this! You're going to be SO in trouble!"

"Stupid Naruto always putting his nose where it doesn't belong!" Ino crosses her arms just as the rest of the group comes in sight.

"What's going on?" Choje asks, wondering why Naruto was crouched on the ground, rubbing his head.

Ten, Ino, Sakura pointed at the handcuffs. Shikamaru just stood there, staring off into space and Sasuke didn't say anything, except glare daggers at Naruto, the dimwit and Neji whose lips curved into a smirk.

"Well, well, well…" Neji chuckled, "This is quite interesting, I must say."

"You don't have to say anything." Sasuke growled, narrowing his eyes at Neji which only made him snicker. "Just get this thing off of us."

"Naruto," Sakura turns her attention to Naruto, "Give us the key."

For a moment, Naruto smiled looking content like he was the King of Ramen and there was nothing to ruin his day. "Or else, **no ramen** for you plus you'll be confronted by the arm forces for breaking in and _stealing_." Naruto drops his smile— not because of his crime but because of what she threatened him about his ramen. **NO MORE RAMEN?! **

"NOOOOOO! I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT RAMEN!"

"Where's the key Naruto!" Sakura huffs and raises her voice, catching his attention again.

"I-I! I d-d-don't k-know!" Naruto cries, tears water falling off his chin and makes a rush towards Sakura's feet. The cans teeter and fall from the impact.

"ARE YOU STUPID?!" Sakura's eye twitches and then… she explodes, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE THE KEY, ALL HANDCUFFS HAVE KEYS UNLESS ITS FAKE AND SURELY THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY **NOT **FAKE! I SWEAR YOU CAN BE SO STUPID SOMETIMES!"

"WHAT! B-B-BUT SAKU—" Naruto started off, sputtering his defense to his crime.

"He's not stupid." Sasuke spoke up, catching a few heads. Everyone gasps, shooting Sasuke a weird look for defending Naruto. Even Naruto looked surprised; he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Sasuke defending him? Naruto made up his mind, flashing Sasuke a look of admiration for standing up for him. "He's possessed by a retarded ghost.*"

CRACK!

Everyone watched as Naruto crumbled into rocks and ashes. Sad, really that he'd believe Sasuke had changed for the better. They should have known it was going to be like this. But the next thing that happened was a blaring siren that alerted some armed soldiers across the field.

Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura stood with everyone else whom were also startled by the loud noise and was about to make a run to the nearest exit or to where their teachers were.

"STOP BY THE NAME OF KADENA ARMED FORCES," A loud air horn was made making everyone freeze in their spot, "HANDS IN THE AIR!"

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A/N: Hey guys, thanks for reading! I know the armed forces don't say that sort of stuff— "stop by the name…" ha-ha; wow I make them sound so royalty, lol. Anyway, I hope to get some more reviews and new followers!


	8. Chapter 4

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS. (I received two reviews when I was writing this chapter) I was wondering where you guys were! Each chapter, I was thinking *what, no reviews yet?* I was sad but thank you to those who reviewed; favorite and following this story!

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Chapter Four

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**This is your entire fault Naruto. – Neji**

**Poor Naruto-kun, Sakura chan and Sasuke san too. – Hinata**

**I wonder what everyone else is doing, probably heading to the island's beach by now. - Sakura **

**We shouldn't have come. - Shikamaru**

**Is that a June bug? – Shino**

**This field trip sucks; all I wanted was to pin point guys on this trip, Naruto! – Ino**

**I miss Akamaru. – Kiba**

**Idiot. – Sasuke **

**Oh, a snack machine! – Choje**

**Why is everyone glaring at me? – Naruto**

**I wonder where the key might be since Naruto was too dumb to see it next to the handcuffs…? - Ten**

The eleven sat in the office, hot and tired from their little adventure. Sakura had to share a seat with Sasuke because there wasn't enough seats for everyone and plus she shared handcuffs with him. They sighed as one of the guards eyed them suspiciously.

"FRIENDS, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I WAS SEARCHING ALL OVER FOR YOU!" A certain voice, so familiar and loud unlike Naruto's screamed through the door on their right.

"Hey Lee," TenTen smiled weakly, fanning herself with her hand. Everyone either greeted him with silence, grunts, or nods.

"OH!" Lee's eyes flickered to the one sight that broke his heart, "BEAUTIFUL BLOSSOM AND ROTTEN BUD ARE ARRESTED?!"

Everyone sweat dropped. Sakura rolled her eyes and shook her head, "No Le—"

"ROTTEN BUD, WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY CHERRY BLOSSOM TO BE IN THIS STATE?!" Lee shouted, running towards them both and pulling Sakura away from Sasuke who yelped. Everyone sweat drops again to what he says.

Sakura looked back at Sasuke who twitched at Lee's rants.

"Lee, shut up." Neji stood and brought a hand over Lee's arm. "You're hurting Sakura."

Lee seemed to wake up at the point and gently placed Sakura to the side, well to where Sasuke's arm can reach and not hurt her.

Another door opened an officer with a lot of badges on his uniform suit walked out. He carried a ring with keys on his belt and his face was oval shaped, clean cut and his eyes spelled out seriousness.

"Hello children," The man said as he stopped in front of them, "I am the top officer of this facility. I heard there was an emergency from one of the armory section and one of you children has… well let's say, taken one of our items."

"Yes sir," Sakura spoke. "But I can assure you it wasn't on purpose."

The officer turned to Sakura and found that she was handcuffed to a young man sitting on the bench. He nods and reaches for the ring of keys clipped to his belt. He took one key and asks to see the handcuffs. Sasuke stands up and reaches out his arm along with Sakura's. Tinkling with the handcuffs, the officer shakes his hand and one by one, he tries each of the keys.

Naruto stands up as well and walks over to Sakura, his eyes watching as the officer is focused on removing the handcuffs on his friends. On the other hand, Sakura turns and notices Hinata has tears in her eyes, TenTen sat beside her with her eyes closed, Ino pouting and caught her eye. Averting her gaze, she watches as Shikamaru sighs along with Neji who also stares at the scene in front of him. Shino, wasn't as interested as his attention was directed the opposite way. Choje was no where in sight and to her right; Lee's jaw had locked as he glared at the handcuffs.

The officer sighs and holds up one more key. _This is it; the last key_, Sakura thinks. He places the key in the slot and twists but with no such luck, the handcuffs didn't unlock. Closing her eyes, Sakura allows her hand to drop.

"Well," The officer began, "Whoever took these handcuffs must have the key."

Everyone turned from what they were doing and stared at Naruto who jumped from being their center of attention. "Hey! I told you I don't have it!"

"Young man, this isn't a joke, either you have it or you don't." The officer's eyes narrowed as he picked up both Sasuke's and Sakura's wrist.

"I don't." Naruto spoke up, his eyes determined, "I just saw the handcuffs."

Another sigh came from the officer before he drops their wrists and turns to Naruto. He raises his hand up, motioning two guards forward. Sakura's heart sped as she watches the two guards stand on each side of Naruto. "I'm sorry, but I think we should take you in for questioning since you—"

Sakura scrunched her face and glanced at Sasuke who caught her troubled jaded eyes. They told him she had to help his best friend in some way. Her lips moved without thinking, "You can't!"

"What was that?" The officer asked, startled and turns back to Sakura. Sakura held onto Sasuke's gaze while she spoke. Her voice was strong and held no trace of lies even though she was and covered Naruto's butt from getting in trouble, "Sir, our friend is a Kleptomaniac—"

"Especially around Hinata," Neji snorted, immediately sending a few people glancing between Naruto and a blushing Hinata.

"HEY!" Naruto yelled and glared at Neji.

Sakura continues speaking as if Neji and Naruto didn't interrupt and breaks her gaze with Sasuke to glance back to Naruto then back to the officer, "So he can't help it and besides I would've thought these artifacts should be under displayed like a safe case? How could our friend take something protected if it was left in the open?"

The officer was quiet for a moment, letting what she said sink in. Then he shook his head, "That's true but we still have priorities when it comes to these matters. And our first priorities are to turn him in and question him."

Naruto's eyes widened as he glances between Sakura and the officer. "You mean interrogate me?"

"A few questions won't hurt, would it?" The officer asks.

"But I don't know where the key is, I just borrowed the handcuffs, I was going to return it." Naruto exclaimed his reason, his eyes asking for mercy.

What kind of kleptomaniac returns things after he/ she takes things? Sakura's jaw tightened, "Naruto be quiet."

Naruto's eyes flickered to Sakura's. Sakura turned over to him and smiled weakly at him, "It wasn't your fault since you like shiny things. Besides, I know you wouldn't take things if there was a sign that says no touching."

Bluff.

The officer's eyes averts to the side for a second or two and slides back to Sakura who turns her attention his. Did she call it? Did he actually believe this kid was what she spoke of? Pressing his lips in a thin line, he exhaled a big huff and then turned to the guards, "Go check the armory section for any signs that this young man could have missed about touching such artifacts."

The soldiers saluted and turned on their heels to complete their mission.

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"Well?" The officer crossed his arms in front of his two men.

The men shook their heads. One spoke up, "No sir, there wasn't any signs. But we did find out that there was a glitch in the computer system about the armory section being renovated."

The officer's jaw twitched as he glances back at the twelve children loitering outside his office. "Alright, I'll deal with this matter. You may go."

"Sir, yes sir!" The two men saluted and turned on their heels and left.

Outside, the officer walked to the children who was now talking to a grown up, probably their teacher.

"We've come to a conclusion." The officer announced as everyone's eyes were trained on the officer. The teacher turns and stared at the officer, her mouth hung open as if she was catching flies.

"Adam?" She spoke, her eyes widen at him.

He looked taken aback as he stared at the teacher, "Yukito?"

_Adam? Yukito? _Sakura looked from her teacher to the officer with a weird and confused look. What just happened?

"It's been awhile." Their teacher spoke, a smile adoring her face. The man nod, a curve of lips turned up. "Yes it has."

A cough interrupted their moment of struck. Officer Adam's eyes snapped back to reality as he grunted, clearing his throat. "We have business to take care of, Miss. Akamiki. It seems one of your students happened to come across one of our armory artifacts, and seeing as we are all here, had clamped that on two of your other students."

He motioned to Sakura and Sasuke and Naruto. The teacher raised her eye brows as she glanced at the handcuffs and laughed suddenly. Covering her mistake, she eyed the three students and then turned to the officer. "So I see."

"Our first priority is to take the trespasser and cross-examine him." The officer spoke, his voice strained and tired as he repeated what he told everyone else earlier.

"I understand." The teacher spoke softly. "But you see, we're leaving in two days and our trip is to observe the different islands of Okinawa."

The officer nodded, his hand reaching up to his face to rub his temples, "Well then… I'm sure we can work something out."

She smiled, her eye twinkling, "I'm sure."

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Everyone else got off easily thanks to their teacher who had past connections with the older officer. Except Naruto who had sulked after meeting up with them. Teacher Akamiki and Officer Adam had made a suitable deal with the three students. Officer Adam will take two days off from his duty and accompany them on their trip around the islands so that he can question Naruto about his small crime and for the meantime, have the other official authorities in on the situation and come up with a copy of the handcuffs' keys before Sakura and Sasuke head back to their hometown. Thankful that they were out of that situation, they spent their day walking on the beaches of Napa and heading back by bus to the hotel they were staying in.

At their hotel, Teacher Akamiki made certain with a sincere apology attached that Sakura and Sasuke had to share a single room, no less a bed since their wrists are linked. Having no other choice, they agreed reluctantly.

Standing in the small bedroom, a small screen TV sat near the window and across a queen size bed; a closet to their left and bathroom to their right. Feeling tired and excited at the same time, Sakura jumped and ran forward yanking Sasuke with her until she hopped onto the bed.

Grunting at her childish actions, Sasuke fell on his knees and collapsed against the bed. "Really?"

"Wow, what a day." Sakura closed her eyes, feeling the soft blankets beneath her welcome her with open arms.

Standing, Sasuke grunted, "Sakura, we have to make use to these." He pulled his arm up.

Sitting up, Sakura stared up at Sasuke, "Yeah, since we'll be stuck together for the next one and a half days."

"Aa." Sasuke noted, his eyes glancing towards the bathroom. "I have to go to the bathroom."

At this, Sakura sat there with a straight face. As if her guard crumbled, her face turned pale as her eyes slid to the closed bathroom. Swallowing, she stood up and walked with Sasuke to the bathroom and stood in the doorway.

"How is this going to work?" Sakura asks, scratching her head with her other free hand. "I mean, I don't want to hear you pee or… whatever."

Sasuke sighs. Pressing his lips together in a thin line, he nodded, an idea popping into his head. "Here." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his iPod.

Sakura gives him a weird look before he stretches his tangled ear phones and plugs it in Sakura's ear and played a song, making the volume on loud. "That way, you won't hear me do my business."

Pursing her lips, Sakura looked down at the toilet and then slowly trailed up to Sasuke's buckled pants. Knowing what Sakura was thinking, Sasuke sighs, "Do you have a handkerchief?"

Sakura shakes her head. Another sigh. Sasuke lets Sakura walk back out and as he takes one out of his suit case, he ties it around Sakura's head and eyes so that she won't be able to see anything disturbing.

Walking back to the bathroom and closing the door with a small lock. He turned to the toilet and made sure Sakura was listening to loud music. She blushed and turned her head away, respecting his privacy even though she couldn't see. After flushing down his business, he washed his hands and led Sakura outside.

Sakura took off the hanky and ear phone, turning off the iPod. Her face still red from the experience a minute ago, Sakura bent down as Sasuke took out his toothbrush and paste and another toothbrush. "Well, that was interesting."

Handing her a tooth brush, Sakura blinked. Why? How many toothbrushes did he even carry? "Do you always bring two toothbrushes?"

Sasuke licked his lips, "In case of emergency. In this case, this is."

Sakura nodded, a small smile incasing her face, "Thanks."

He opened his duffle bag wide enough. Taking his clothes out, he knelt there for a minute thinking. Sakura grabbed his clothes and then seemed to calculate how he should change his clothes when she was linked to him. _Well this is going to be hard,_ She thinks.

Sasuke nodded slowly, "It won't work so we'll have to sleep in what we're wearing right now."

She can live with that since she sometimes sleep in clothes she wore the day before because she was either too lazy to change or too tired to even lift a finger. Nodding her head, Sakura blinked at the weariness creeping to her eyes. "Let's go." Sasuke stood up, grabbing Sakura's arm.

They headed to the bathroom again and began to brush their teeth. They didn't have much trouble since they were both right handed but Sakura felt weird because her left hand was shaking aside Sasuke's mouth as he brushed. Laughing softly at the feeling, Sakura pushes Sasuke aside, ready to spit but Sasuke beat her to it.

SPLAT!

Sasuke felt his face twitch all over at the feel of spit sliding down his neck. Was it devastation he felt? Shocked? Disturbed? Did she really just spit on him? He glared through the mirror at her who seemed just as shocked at what she just did. Covering her mouth with her free hand, Sakura couldn't help it but burst into a fit of laughter.

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In the next room shared two bedrooms aside from Sasuke and Sakura's, four girls teamed up sharing one side of the room and four guys on the other side. Upon hearing Sakura's laughter next door, they couldn't help but wonder what was going on between the two rivals.

"I wonder what teme is doing to Sakura." Naruto wondered aloud, his head against the wall, hoping to hear anything audible.

More laughter was heard as the boys looked over to the girls who sat across the room, on the two beds giving each other a weird look.

"They're probably pranking each other as usual." Temari shrugs, hearing loud clatters behind the walls.

"Do you think so?" TenTen asked, glancing over at Naruto who was getting a better ear to hear what was happening next door. "They can't really do much since they're handcuffed together."

A squeal was heard from the other side.

Ino pulls out a nail polish and shakes it before opening it. The smell was strong as it filled their side of the room. "Maybe or they're actually playing the game."

A game? The boys' minds ringed.

A cough was heard from inside the bathroom just as Kiba emerged and wandered from the bathroom to where Ino sat, he pulled the nail polish from her hands, "_That _is too strong for my nose."

Ino held the brush in one hand and looked over to Kiba, "I'm almost done, I was just double coating!"

"Double coat it tomorrow." He said, holding away the nail polish.

"Naruto, get away from there." Neji grabbed the polish and placed it on top of the counter. "And what game?"

They now sat on the beds, tuned in to what Ino had explained how the game worked. Hinata sat on the sidelines, her eyes slowly drooping to a close. Tired out, Hinata hoped today would pass and that something good would turn up tomorrow. Shikamaru and Choje were already knocked out, snoring.

"Wow, teme has it in for him." Naruto grasped the idea of what Ino told them. He grinned, "He's going to lose for sure!"

"That's what I was thinking!" Ino shot back, grinning as well. She stood up to retrieve her nail polish and closed the cap. "But it seems the first week they have been doing it all wrong."

"I dibs Sakura will win." Naruto claimed, shooting a fist in the air.

The votes and bets were high on who would win the game. They spent the next thirty minutes piling facts and opinion about Sasuke and Sakura liking each other because they liked to prank each other or Sasuke had a crush on Sakura for awhile and wouldn't admit it or Sakura had been playing dumb to get Sasuke's attention the whole time.

At the eleventh hour, they laid in their beds before dozing off.

"They'll eventually fall for each other."

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"Ow." Sakura laid in an awkward position, her on the left and Sasuke on the right. Her left arm was aching behind her head, giving Sasuke a better position to lie in. Shifting her position, she pulled her arm behind her head which made her wince as she turned over.

Turning and propping up by his elbows, Sasuke peeks an eye open and peered at the troubled pinkette. Groaning as Sakura pulls her arm in an awkward stretch, Sasuke grumbles about not having enough sleep and an idiotic blond. "Do you mind not moving as much?"

"Well _I'm _sorry! This is uncomfortable!" Sakura grunted, popping her head up.

"Are you really?" Sasuke rolled his eyes, his voice filled with sarcasm. Sakura settled on lying on her back and staring at the blank ceiling. She turned her head to Sasuke, squinting in the dark.

"You too…" Sakura spat, her mind reeling with smart comebacks if Sasuke was to shoot her a smart retort. "I can't see your face… just the outlines."

"Well obviously." Sakura could hear another note of sarcasm leak out.

Sakura inhales but a sweet remark came to her mind. She grins, "It's scary."

Sasuke grunts and ignores her little insult. "Go to sleep, Sakura."

Even though she was dead tired, she didn't really want this day to end. She was somewhat excited because she ran away from her parents, her guardian with a boy they didn't know much of except that Sasuke was the mayor's son. But she's known him longer, been picking on him and receiving a blow to her ego as payback. She really did enjoy Sasuke's company especially how he treats her differently from all the other girls.

"I can't."

Sighing once again, Sasuke scooted towards her, pulling their linked wrists his way, Sakura, startled, turned over into his embrace. To make do and not to hurt each other in any way possible like sticking their limbs in a comfortable position, Sasuke laid there holding Sakura close.

She drawing out a long breath that she didn't know she had held when he pulled her to him. She noticed she somewhat fit in this position. She didn't feel any tingles in her arm that was numb awhile ago, she didn't feel awkward either. But she did feel something pulse within her. She just didn't quite know what it was. "Sasi-cakes…?"

A grunt was heard, acknowledging that he heard her.

Sakura grins in the dark as she feels the warmth radiate off Sasuke's body. "You're too close." She whispered, making him tense. She knew her teasing would eventually stop since it was so late at night and she was sure everyone was sleeping at this point. But she couldn't help tease him just a little.

He shifted but not away as she assumed. He shifted so that her face was in the crook of his neck, her nose touching his chest as it rose up and down. Feeling her cheeks heat up from how close they were, Sakura breathed out hotly against his shirt.

They stayed like that, Sakura finally falling asleep in his arms and Sasuke thinking how he should kill Naruto the day after.

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It was bright and early when Sasuke awoke from the light streaming in from the window and reflecting off a surface of bright pink. Groaning from the heavy weight on his chest, Sasuke allowed his eyes to open and see a display of pink hair tickling his chin. Looking down at the person, the events from last night flooded Sasuke's mind and questioned how Sakura ended up on top of him with her bounded hand wrapped around his neck, cushioning him in away and yet making his neck ache. His other hand was another matter, his thumb slightly in the belt line of her pants as well of his hand placed on her rounded hips.

Feeling the uneven breaths that Sakura released as she slept, Sasuke found his situation slightly awkward and yet, exciting. How rare was it that someone like him would end up with someone like her, alone and in a bed, no less? But then again, if Naruto came barging in, he would totally talk an ear off and never let him nor Sakura live this down, if he ever found them together in this kind of position.

Slipping his hand slowly from her hip, Sasuke attempts to move his legs to the side so that he may have better access to removing Sakura off him. Hoping not to wake her, a funny thought struck him. What would be worst, Naruto finding them in this position or their teacher? It wasn't funny now that he thought about it, the gossip, the policy between students in bed together… but in their case, wasn't it alright if they didn't do anything intentionally?

A moan drawled from Sakura's lips as Sasuke scooted to the side, allowing Sakura to turn and roll off him. Letting out a breath of relief, Sasuke turned his head to stare at the sleeping form beside him.

Today was Monday, the last day of the trip. All the students can do whatever they please without having to be watched by the teachers, except maybe Naruto since he got himself in trouble with the Armed Forces. Does that include him and Sakura, too? Will they be watched just like he was watched at home? All those body guards watching his every move, either through the security cameras, in school, on dates… When will he finally be left alone? When will he ever be like any of the other kids, having freedom and no more curfews? He had missed those times, before his brother moved out with his fiancé just when his father was promoted mayor of Japan.

Sighing, he moved his hand and grabbed a lock of pink hair. Sliding it through his fingers, his eyes traveled down to Sakura's sleeping face. She looked calm when she's asleep, almost dead but at peace. Lifting the corners of his lips, he recalled back to the time this whole thing started. When Sakura moved in with her guardian next door, he never really paid attention to her. She was rarely at home, mostly hanging out with her friends and Naruto.

Thankful as he should've been at the time, Sakura had spent time with Naruto when Sasuke was feeling fed up with him. He remembered feeling annoyed with Sakura as well, having her attempt a conversation with him, getting closer to him as if she was… Karin. He didn't like it one bit. He became more distant, towards her, towards Naruto and the rest of his family. She was for some reason, the reason why he was a cold bastard— as Naruto sometimes called him.

"Mm…" Sakura's eyes slowly fluttered open. She was in a daze and slowly closed her eyes just to open and focus on Sasuke. Gasping at the sight of Sasuke staring at her with eyes filled with… well she didn't know. Swallowing down her surprise, she slowly smiled, "Good morning."

He stayed where he was lying, only blinking once before returning her greeting. Sitting up, he raked his free hand through his raven locks and peered at the alarm clock that sat next to the TV. A quarter before eight.

"What are we doing today?" Sakura yawns, pulling Sasuke's hand to her head, flipping her hair behind her shoulder.

"Today…" Sasuke spoke, figuring he should make up what happened to them both. He'll deal with Naruto later but now, they deserved something more exciting than being watched and questioned. "We're going on a date."

Sakura blinked and turns to Sasuke who turns to her. He smirks, "A real date."

_It better not be some kiddies' park._ Sakura thinks, narrowing her eyes and sees his smirk grow wider as if he knew what she was thinking.

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A/N: So that's that. If you're ready for more adventure and drama-llamas, ha-ha, don't say no more and keep reading!


	9. Chapter 5

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: Everything will come into place in this chapter and the next few coming up. Thank you for keeping track to this story. I'm glad that many of you enjoy reading my story. Please enjoy this chapter.

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Chapter Five

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It wasn't easy getting dressed; the clothes they slept in were dirty and stunk from the heat the day before. Sakura told him they couldn't slide his shirt through the handcuffs, it would take more time than needed and suggested to cut it. Figuring it would work and it did, it took them a moment to realize how he was going to pull on another shirt. Well, cut the bottom of the sleeve and sew it afterwards, of course. Thanks to Sakura's suggestion, they gathered what they needed for the day and walked out the hotel and into the morning air, where the flee markets was buzzing with customers.

Sasuke realized that some people were looking at them oddly. It's possible that they were staring at Sakura's hair color but it's probably more obvious that their linked wrists stood out the most. Grabbing her hand and cooping it under his arm, Sasuke walked with Sakura beside him into the market area.

Sasuke was dressed in black slacks with a light navy polar shirt. Looking to his right, Sakura walked beside him, her eyes flying from store to the store. Pressing his lips together, he viewed a clothing store coming up and knew that Sakura had to get changed somehow. She must be thinking it's unfair because she helped him change without complaint. Sasuke's eyes trailed down Sakura's white shirt that had black letterings on the back to her dark blue slacks.

Stopping at the store's entrance, Sakura was yanked to a stop. Sasuke motioned for her to go in and she did.

"Hello!" A lady announced from the back, "Is there anything I can help you two with?"

"Oh, uh, we're just loo—" Sakura began, smiling kindly at the woman in the back.

"Tubes would be nice." Sasuke answered, cutting Sakura off.

Sakura blushed beet red at what he just mentioned. The lady smiled and nodded, "Right, any size in particular?"

"Small." Sasuke snickered earning him a playful smack against his chest. Sakura gives him a weird look, how does he know so much about her size? Was he a secret closet pervert or a stalker? Well, it wasn't as obvious to know that his bedroom was across from her bathroom. She clicked her tongue.

"Okay, this way sir… ma'am." The lady smiles, bowing and leading them near the back where tube dresses, tube bathing suits, tube bras and tops were located at. "They're all in order, SS to XXL."

"Uh, thank you." Sakura's eyes widen as she sees a very wide bra. _Dang! _

Before the lady walks away, she makes a little gasp and holds up a finger, "Oh, and Miss, the changing room for couples is in the back on the left." She winks at them.

Sakura opens her mouth to warn off the lady and flusters, "Oh he isn't- not my boy- I mean, just a friend- rival, friend rival."

The lady looked confused and then suddenly changed to wink at Sakura, "Oh don't be shy. You **are** holding hands!"

Sakura looks down at her hand hooked under Sasuke's arm, hiding the cuffs from view. That's because she's handcuffed to him on accident! _Naruto, when we see other, ohh you are __**so**__ dead! _She couldn't help but blush. Turning her face to the side, she didn't notice the smirk that made its way onto Sasuke's face.

Retreating footsteps faded, signaling to Sakura that the lady left and Sasuke had pulled her along to the small section of tube tops. "Pick one so we can leave."

Sakura glances up, biting her lip as she observed which tube top would look good on her. But why of all places did they have to enter this shop? Sure, it was easier to put on but didn't Sasuke see that she was feeling awkward, especially with him hovering over her shoulder?

Sakura licked her lips as a neon green top caught her eye. Feeling her tug forward, Sasuke turned his attention to a row of bright neon tubes that could put Naruto's clothes to shame. Blinking a couple of times, Sasuke stepped forward and grabbed Sakura's hand before she could grab a size. "No, not happening."

Sakura looks up at Sasuke who rubbing his eyes with his free hand. "Too bright?"

Sasuke paused and turned to glare at Sakura. Sakura smiles with a toothy grin. She reaches up and pats his cheek before reaching for another top, a maroon top. At least Sasuke could bear with it, Sakura thinks thoughtfully.

"So we buy it or what?" Sakura stretches the top, feeling the soft texture under her fingers.

Sasuke shifts his footing and raises a brow, "Obviously. But first, you try it."

Sakura scowls and walks forward, pulling Sasuke to the back where the couple's dressing room was located at. Walking to one of the stalls, Sakura slides the curtain aside and walks in. Sasuke stands outside the door and glances at the store behind him in the mirror.

"We'll have to cut my shirt if I ever want to change into this tube top." Sakura presses her lips in a thin line and then licks it before turning to her gaze in the mirror, looking at Sasuke. "But I like this shirt…"

Nodding, he pulls out a pocket knife from his back pocket and snaps it open. The glint from the dim light flickers off the side of the blade making Sakura hold back a gasp. Tugging her bound wrist forward, she pulled Sasuke into the stall and swiftly pulls the curtain to hide them from public view.

"What** are** _you_ doing? You can't just take out a _pocket knife!_" Sakura spat out, shaking her head and snatching the knife from his hands. "What if someone sees and accuses us of something illegal?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes to the side and grabs Sakura's hand which held his knife. "As if they won't see this," He raises the cuffs. "Eventually, someone will think we're a couple of prisoners."

Sakura scoffs and crosses her arms before rearranging her bound hand underneath her other arm, "Along comes the jokes. _Joy._"

Sasuke raises his brows and takes a moment to think over what he had in mind. A smirk smoothes his features as he looks down at their bound wrists, "You're right, we make such a pair."

Sakura shakes her head at Sasuke, giving him a dull 'are-you-serious' look. A loud crash makes itself known behind the curtains sending Sakura on frenzy, clinging to Sasuke halfheartedly at the fast scare. "What was that?"

"Oh my goodness, sorry!" The lady's voice laughed nervously from behind the curtain. "I was moving some hangers, go on and change. I'll be at the front if you need anything."

Did the lady owner hear her rant? What if she gets suspicious and calls the police on them? Once the lady left and a moment of silence wavered around the two rivals, Sakura breathes out a still breath and gasps lightly at the cold feeling of the sharp blade against her hip. Sakura pulls away, smacking Sasuke's hand away. "Put that thing away before someone gets hurt!"

Sasuke inhales before rolling his eyes and putting both his hands on her hips and pulling him towards his chest. Gasping at his actions, Sakura blurts out a curse and hears a loud tear of her shirt.

What was Sasuke doing to her without her permission? Did she not just say to put away the blade? Was that her favorite shirt being ripped on the sleeves? Sakura gapes as she feels the cold air blow against her bare shoulder blade. Oh, he did not just rip her favorite shirt with his dangerous bad boy blade! Sakura snaps her eyes to glare at Sasuke but parts her lips at the sight of Sasuke's eyes being closed while tearing her shirt down to the hems.

Blinking at his generosity, she licks her lips nervously. Was he actually taking caution of their situation? Well that's kind of him; Sakura thinks as Sasuke's hand moves across her bare belly and squeezes her skin. He chuckles. Sakura gasps, moving away from his touch. Or not!

"Okay, don't you look, pervert!" Sakura snaps, watching to make sure Sasuke wasn't peeking at her. She removes her shirt over her head and drops it to her feet. Grabbing the tube from the hook, she removes it from the hanger and places it over her head, carefully pulling it down with Sasuke's hand moving along with her own. There was a bit of graze of fingers against her shoulders and hip as she adjusts the top to fit her chest. Pleased by the comfortable fit, she smiles and squeezes Sasuke's cuffed hand.

Opening his eyes, Sasuke peers down at the posing Sakura who was feeling her top, how smooth the cloth was under her touch. The pink top did fit her curvy body, complimenting her porcelain skin. Snorting, Sakura jumps with her hand flying to her chest in a scare. "Sasuke!"

He snickers and pulls away the curtain, revealing another couple in line. A boy with a shaggy hair cut takes his eyes off of the girl he was with and glances at Sasuke and Sakura. Moving out of their way, Sakura picks up her shirt and heads out with Sasuke in the lead.

Taking a step around the guy, he winks at her making Sakura feel her face turn red at the silent compliment. Did she just get checked out? Certainly because the next thing she knew, Sasuke pushes her in front of him, his bound hand on her hip leading her to the front and the sound of the other guy yelping in pain.

They walked to the register, with her bound hands behind them, hiding from the owner's sight. Sakura then helps Sasuke by reaching into his pocket and pulls out his wallet. After a bit of fumbling, Sasuke paid Sakura with her new top on and they rushed out.

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Feeling free from any surveillance services or fan girls watching his every move, Sasuke kept his fingers interlocking with Sakura's, pulling her arm under his own as they walked from the market to the country side.

They walked on the sidelines of rice fields and made it through the small village of farmers. After awhile of walking, they started teasing each other, making fun of Naruto and recalling past memories of their pranks and scoffing on which prank was better.

When they got back to the urban town, they strolled up a hill and passed a couple of hoodlums whom turned their heads at the sight of Sakura showing a bit of cleavage, seeing that she was in a short tube top and nothing else to cover her shoulders. Sasuke, feeling Sakura tense at the cat calls and whoops from behind them, Sasuke pulled her closer and turned to glare darkly at the men behind them.

"Hey sexy!" A baritone shouted from behind them, making a round of snickers reach Sakura's ears. "You seem like a sweet person, why don't you come over so I can find out!"

"Were you arrested earlier?" Another man whistles, "It's gotta be illegal to look that good.*"

_Apparently_, Sakura closes her eyes and keeps walking with Sasuke at her side, tightening his grasp on her hand.

"Are those glassy pants?" Another voice barked, coming closer from behind them. He reached forward and pinched Sakura's bottom, making her gasp. "Cause I can sure see myself in 'em!*"

Protectively, Sasuke pulls Sakura to him roughly so that she'd cling to his shirt as he turns and growls at the drunkard. "Leave her alone!"

Another man comes up from behind them and claps a hand on his friend's shoulder, "What's the problem?" He sneaks a peek at Sakura who looks annoyed than disgusted that the man handled her butt. He snickers, noticing her pink hair shimmer from the light, "Hey miss; care to prove that your real hair color is natural?" He wiggles his eyes at her, focusing on her pants when she turned to him.

Feeling violated already, Sakura takes a step forward in a fighting stance. Who did this kind think he is? Of course her hair was naturally pink! Sasuke, feeling the heat radiate off Sakura's hand, he pulled her back and glared dangerously at the two men. He cussed the men off and dragged Sakura off, his eyes never shaking the anger that lingered in them.

"Oh the nerve!" Sakura growled as they rounded a corner filled with civil commoners, finally able to let the frustrating thoughts that raged through her mind. "I could totally take them down!"

Sasuke sighs haughtily and shakes his head from his thoughts. Tightening his hold on her hand, he reached and grabbed her chin with his other hand. Locking his eyes with her emerald ones, "With just the two of us against all of them, who do you think would win?"

Sakura huffs and rolls her eyes. She knew he was right, he didn't really have to point it out to her but maybe it was a good thing he was beside her, stopped her at the least before she did something stupid by revealing their bounded wrists— a burden and possibly their weakness. But! That doesn't mean she couldn't vent out the retorts she bit from yelling out. Those perverts deserved her genetic wrath that she inherited, not only from her mother but her godmother, as well. "What now?"

The sky wasn't as bright like earlier; it was cloudy and musky at the part of town. It must be around eleven, Sakura guess, realizing she didn't bring her phone of the trip. They didn't even eat breakfast either! Sakura thinks.

As if reading her mind, Sasuke's stomach growls and he turns away to hide his blush. Sakura laughs at his embarrassment and pats his stomach, making Sasuke growl at her tease. "Hungry, are we?"

"Stop raping me," Sasuke grunted, removing her hand away from his stomach. Sakura stands there, her mouth dropped as he turns to go only to stop and look back at Sakura with a dull look.

"Who would want to rape you?" Sakura gives him a disgusted expression, her tongue sticking out with an 'ick' sound erupting from her throat.

Sasuke steps back to Sakura, peering down at her red face as she huffs from under his gaze. Grabbing her hand and placing it at his belt line, Sakura felt her breath hitch as she stared at their hands. Bending down, he brushes his lips passed her cheek to her ear and whispers huskily, "You asked for it."

Feeling her face heat up incredibly fast, Sakura snatches her hand from his grasp and pulls it inward to her chest. "Ugh, I hate you!"

He snorted, "I'll try and hide my enthusiasm. How am I doing?*"

Sakura glares at Sasuke who pulled off a nonchalant, straight face. It was slightly better, almost like a bluff she could tell but that didn't mean she liked him even a teensy bit, no— no matter what, she will not fall for him. She purses her lips and innocently speaks her mind, "Okay, right. I don't _exactly _hate you, but if you were on fire and I had water, I'd drink it.*"

Sasuke chuckles, "Your humor is like a cat on fire."

Sakura narrows her eyes at his insult and punches his shoulder, "Well, _your _humor is the last thing I can remember before I flushed it down the toilet!"

Sasuke reaches forward, brushing a loose lock of pink hair aside, "Oh look, it's back because darlin' you look flustered."

Having enough of his tease, Sakura turns around and walks across the street with Sasuke at tow, smirking amusingly.

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It was getting a bit frigid once Sakura spotted a sushi stand, a man standing outside, all bundled up and passing out advertisements. 'TRY OUR SUSHI DYE' was in red bolded letters, showing a picture of delicious looking sushi, but in different colors.

Getting in line, Sasuke pulls out his wallet and grabs a couple of bucks and turns to the menu. The line wasn't as long as Sakura had thought, it moved rather quickly. Even though Sasuke had told her that he'd take her out on real date, despite them not enjoying it at an amusement park or strolling it on the beach or eating at a actual restaurant, Sakura didn't mind if they had a quick lunch at a trailer diner to satisfy Sasuke's hunger. "Did you decide what you wanted?"

Sakura stood to the side, shrugging, not knowing what to order. Biting her lip, her eyes scanned the menu and averted it to the cheapest price which was the new dish, the sushi dye. "I'll try the sushi dye. What are you getting?"

They moved forward and Sasuke made an effort to keep quiet as Sakura clung to his upper hand, smiling at the cook behind the register. "One sushi dye, meal one: tsu chicken and rice and two bottle of waters."

"That'll be 465 yen." The chef reached out to take the money Sasuke had taken out. After exchanging the money for the box of food, Sasuke led Sakura to a curve not far from the trailer.

Sitting on the curve, Sakura opened the box of sushi and was surprised that the sushi was actually different colors. Sasuke grabbed his chopsticks, said his prayers and started eating. Not bothered that her hand was moving with Sasuke's hand, Sakura takes a bite of a green sushi and chews slowly, taking in the distinct taste of food dye.

"Any difference?" Sasuke opened the cap of his bottle of water and took a sip. Sakura did the same, and shrugged, giving him a unanswered answer

"It's takes like..." Sakura trails off, picking up a blue sushi with her chopsticks and lifts it to Sasuke's mouth. As the sushi knocks onto Sasuke's lip asking for entrance, Sasuke obliges and eats the sushi.

"Salty." Sasuke takes another bite of his own meal.

Sakura raises a brow and pops a blue sushi into her mouth. Chewing it slowly once again, she couldn't agree more. "Almost tastes like escargot."

Sasuke wriggles his nose in distaste. "BLAHH!"

Sakura and Sasuke suddenly look at each other then from behind them. A man that seemed to be in his forties, pulled his head out from the trash can that sat a little ways from the curb. He teetered away and off the curb, tripping over his feet and dropping his box of dye sushis.

Sakura blanched at the sight of vomit spilling out of the man's mouth. Like ew! The man sat up, wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt and turns his ill attention to Sakura who sat there with her box of dye sushi.

"Don't eat- those dye su-sushis!" The man coughed down another vomit erupting from his throat. He stood and trudged away like a drunkard would.

Sakura stopped herself from swallowing the leftover sushi in her mouth. The vomit and the stench were just too much for her stomach to take. What was the coincidence of the man and this new meal Sasuke bought for her? Sakura glances at Sasuke who looks at her and then down at the box of sushis. Not wanting to eat another, less get sick and ruin this date, Sakura slowly places the box on the ground and pushes it away with her food. After a few seconds of recollecting what just happened, both Sasuke and Sakura grabbed their bottle of waters, unscrewed the caps and took a huge gulp before gargling in silent. On cue, both rivals turn away from each other and spit out the remaining or what was left of the sushi's aftertaste.

It would have been funny to see both rivals miming each other's actions but after what just happened a few minutes ago, Sakura definitely felt stupid for falling for such a good sight to eat. "Why didn't I see this coming?" Sakura thinks aloud, shaking her head and brushes her bangs away from her eyes.

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"_Saki!" A man, about in his thirties glanced down at his daughter with pink hair. Her jaded eyes, wide and fear showed from within, stared up at her father came closer to her. He had run from his car to her day care. "We were looking all over for you. Where did you go? We were worried!"_

_The little six years old blinked, a little shaken from wandering around lost. She was glad her father found her, but where was her mother? Was she as worried as her dad? Sakura pursed her lips out, and held her arms up reaching for her father to pick her up. He did, and nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck. "Please don't scare us like that."_

_She didn't know what to do then. She overheard her parents a heated meeting in her father's study at home the night before. It sounded bad, like something was going to happen to her family, as if they were going to separate and she didn't want that to happen. What was so important that they couldn't tell her? "Where's mommy?"_

_Her father pulled back, looking at Sakura with eyes of relief, "She's with your godmother, Tsunade."_

"_Why?" Sakura perked at her godmother's name, "Is godmother Tsunade worried?"_

_He nods, placing his hand on her lower back, keeping her balance on his chest as she sat on his lower arm, tightening her hold around her father's neck. "Gomen."_

_He sighs and rubs her back as she gives him another tight hug around his neck. He walked back to his car and drove them both back to their house where her mother stood, being comforted by Tsunade. "Mommy!" Sakura calls out, running to her mother and godmother. _

_Her mother snaps her head from Tsunade's shoulder and peers at her husband and the bundle of joy running towards her, tackling her legs. "Saki, where have you been?" _

"_I got lost but daddy found me!" Sakura beamed at her father and bowed apologetically at her concerned family. _

_She looked up to see her mother eye her father and noticed that their silent conversation through eye contact was happening again, this time it was in front of her. Something was wrong, she can feel it. "What's wrong mommy? Daddy?"_

"_We…" Her mother started, her breath hitched as she walked over and took her husband's hand in hers, "Saki, we have important business to attend to overseas."_

_Sakura tilts her head to the side, confused on why their 'important' business couldn't be dealt here. She didn't understand why their jobs were farther away than where they lived. Not all of her classmates' parents worked so far away, except for the new transfer students that came from America. "Overseas?"_

_Her godmother walked over and knelt down to meet Sakura's height. Sakura glanced from her parents to godmother as she explained to her what her mother was trying to say. They were leaving her with her godmother Tsunade so they can earn more money overseas. "We'll be back before you know it!" Her father winked down at her. _

_Sakura locked her jaw as she stared up at her parents, as they held hands and turned to go. _

_How could they decide that without her consent? Didn't they love her too much to leave her here with her godmother? Why would they want to go overseas when she had thought her family is what they wanted in the first place? What about her? If they leave, what will become of her? What will her classmates think of her? Will she become a temporary orphan? "NO!"_

_But she wasted so many thoughts when she could have clung to her parents before they locked themselves into the car, starting the engine. Sakura cried out, running from her godmother and screaming for her parents to come back to her. They drove from the curb and started ways away from Tsunade who was preventing Sakura from running after them. "Mommy, Daddy, come back!"_

_Tears erupted from her wide and devastated emerald eyes. Did she drive them away? Was it her they wanted to get away from? Her bottom lip trembled as she watched as her parent's car drove around a corner and out of sight. __**No! **__They were gone and before she knew it, she fell to her knees, bawling loud and proud as her godmother hovered over her, trying to soothe her. Did they even consider her feelings, at all?_

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Sasuke sat there on the Ferris wheel for about five minutes, after paying double for twenty minutes on a ride to the top. Sakura sat beside him, her head resting on his shoulder, her bounded hand intertwined with Sasuke's and he knew how tired she must have felt, despite of their restless sleep the night before. Although, she did ended on top, now seemed more of an understatement as she slept, her eyes wet with silent tears. Scrunching his face and wondering what she was dreaming, Sasuke shifted carefully not to wake her up and played with her fingers instead.

Closing his eyes, he felt his stomach drop as their cart jerked to a stop.

_He pressed play, and watched the footage from three months ago when he took advantage of Sakura's mouth. Sweet and soft, and almost as perverted as this looked (if anyone other than Naruto walks in, sees him watching a video of what he recorded of taking Sakura's first kiss away, they'd probably assume he was indeed a bit sick in the head). _

_She had smelt like strawberries and grass. He couldn't figure why she smelled like grass, maybe she rolled in grass before she came barging in on him and Naruto playing videogames. Back then, he knew what he was doing. Getting back at Sakura for what she did to him, humiliating him to the whole world on YOUTUBE! And he's the mayor's son, for goodness sake, what would his father think and say, or do if he ever found out?!_

"_Sasuke." Speak of the devil, his father waltzed into his room and presented him self known. Sasuke minimizes the video and walks across his room to his window that showed the bathroom of that ruthless girl. "Get away from that window. I don't know why you chose this room as yours… what if someone was occupying their bathroom and saw you peeping unintentionally?"_

_Sasuke rolled his eyes at his father's lecture. Sauntering to his bed, he leaned against the railing. Something he knew without having to hear it, why did his father even bother telling him this? He wasn't a kid anymore; he could make his own decisions. Sometimes, he thought, his father can be such a girl. "Anyway, clearly you have something to say to me?"_

"_Yes," His father motioned, and sat on the sofa in the middle of his room, crossing his legs. "How is school?"_

_Sasuke sighs and shoves his hands into his pocket, "Same as usual. Classes, homework, attendance and etc. What did you wanted to hear?"_

_Mr. Uchiha nodded slowly and leaned his head back onto the couch head rest and sighs quite loudly, "From what I hear, you've been getting detention."_

_Sasuke snaps his head from where he was looking down at the ground and glare at his dad, "Where did you hear that from?"_

_He rolled his eyes, "What I like to know is, why? If Naruto has been getting you in trouble, clearly we can fix thi—"_

"_No." Sasuke interrupted, scoffing at the idea of Naruto getting him in trouble. What did his father take him for? Seriously, Naruto getting him in trouble, no doubt he couldn't save him even if he tried. _

"_Is it a girl?" _

_Sasuke sat there, quiet and taking his father's words in consideration, noting that his father was definitely poking his nose where it wasn't needed. Why was his father curious anyway? He didn't need his father interrogating him after Naruto's sudden stunt shouting to the whole world, the whole estate claiming that he was a pervert after what that stupid pink hair chick did to him. _

"_If it's one of your fan girls," His father started, scratching his chin, "I can do something about it to where she won't bother you ever again. Remember Sasuke, your position as my son is very important to this election. You can't ruin this opportunity."_

_Sasuke swallows, letting his father's words sink into his head. What opportunity, wealth? What gain did he have in this other than living in a big estate, having a room right across from the bathroom of a girl he's known for three years and yet haven't talked to until his own revenge, despite the small interactions during school projects and his circle of friends. "I don't know what you're talking about."_

"_Sasuke," His father shakes his head slowly and turns to look at Sasuke who leaned against the railing of his bed and quickly narrows his eyes. Raising a brow, Sasuke follows his gaze to his window. Wondering what could have made his father from speaking; Sasuke stood and peered through his window to see Sakura start up the shower and walking back out her bathroom. "This girl… is she the one that you're in detention for?"_

_Sasuke opens his mouth to retort but was cut off as his father rambled on, "Are you in love with this girl?"_

_What nonsense is his father spouting now? Did he really say what he thought he said? Shaking his head, he turns to his father and glares at him. "Not happening."_

"_You must have a connection with her then," His father was persistent, possibly thinking too deeply on this matter, "If she's causing you detention, then you must have had some bad history with her… what did you do?"_

_Sasuke swallows. Was his father actually interrogating him for that stupid chick? Why, of all situations must he have to sit and listen to his father ramble, especially with the girl he had taken advantage of? "Why must you think I did something?"_

_His father narrows his eyes from Sasuke to the window and back. He waved his hand and stands up. "Always answering with questions, huh? Well, if you're not going to tell me, I will find out on my own."_

_Sasuke held his breath as his father walked from his sofa to his desk that was adjacent to the exit of his door. Walking forward, Sasuke practically skipped to his desk, jumping onto his seat and turned on his father. "Are you done?"_

_Sighing once again, his father shook his head and ruffled Sasuke's hair before walking outside Sasuke's room. "No more detention, young man. You should have more pride than that."_

_Nodding, Sasuke kicks his open door shut with his long legs and turns back to his desk top and maximizes the video he hid earlier from his father. Replaying the footage, he remembered the exact touch of what Sakura's lips felt on his own; soft and sweet. _

Opening his eyes to the sound of his cart moving, Sasuke awoke with a start and looked to see where he was. Reaching to scratch his head, Sasuke yawns and looks to his companion who was waking slowly from her sleep.

Sniffling, Sakura blinks away the left over tears that slid down her cheeks. She must have had a bad dream for her to still be crying. Pretending not to notice her teary state, Sasuke shifts and looks over his shoulder; they were almost at the bottom.

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The sky was a filling of yellow, with a tint of pink shadows covering the leftover vast sky of blue. Sasuke and Sakura's date was nearing to an end and as they started heading back to their hotel, Sakura slowly came to realize that their date felt calm and reassuring, like no date she has ever been on— despite, this date being her first. She'll never admit it though, especially to the Uchiha walking beside her.

They walked in silence as the cicadas started buzzing from the trees as they passed by. Sakura absentmindedly hugged Sasuke's arm and leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked. What was wrong with her? Why did she do that? She can't simply say she didn't enjoy the comfort his vibe was sending towards her… No, even though Sakura couldn't place a finger to why she did what she did… all that was running in her mind in circles was a cycle that she has questioned many nights ago… _Did she enjoy Sasuke's kiss? _

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A/N: Finished exactly at midnight. I will continue the next chapter tomorrow. For now, please be patient and thank you for reading.


	10. Part Four

The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare

By: Unknownred

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Summary: Sakura is tired of it all, the dares, the revenge, and the on and off paybacks between herself and Sasuke. She plans to end it, for once and for all— so, one more game wouldn't hurt, right? What will the game be? Who will win? Find out! RxR!

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A/N: We're at the end of this tedious trilogy! This is the last chapter of TTG, so I hope everyone enjoyed reading from The Dare to The Perfect Revenge and The Triumvirate Game.

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Rated: T

Genre: Romance/ General

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Part Four

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It was on their way home that Ino and Temari were teasing Sakura about her and Sasuke's early disappearance the day before. Sakura had shrugged it off, not wanting to worsen her situation she was in after they had reached the hotel nearing the curfew their teacher had told in the beginning of class.

Their homeroom teacher was shocked that Sakura and Sasuke were capable of handling themselves even without assistance because of their bounded wrists. Miss. Akamiki, on the other hand wasn't as surprised— not that she didn't care for Sasuke and Sakura but it seemed that while everyone went their separate ways, she had a little reunion with her childhood sweetheart, Officer Adam and managed to get Naruto off easy. Thankful and relieved, Naruto offered Miss. Akamiki to ramen who politely declined and instead, Hinata decided to go in replace of her teacher.

Ah, spring is blossoming. With high school sweethearts reuniting and new buds blooming, why was it that everyone could get away with that and yet, have suspicions that the two rivals are undeniably in love with each other and to make every matter clear, Sakura and Sasuke were deeply in denial.

Sakura sat at the window, watching the clouds fade away as they ascended higher into the sky. She wondered if what everyone thought critically of her and Sasuke had some truth in it. Sure enough, the more she thought about her and Sasuke's '_date'_; the quicker she realizes that she had forgotten about the love game between her and him. So, she thinks, was it really a date as Sasuke proclaimed? Is he falling for her? Is she falling for him?

_They had entered a small amusement park, way different than Far, Far Away. Sakura sighed in relief as she and Sasuke made their way into the mini golf area for families. Paying for two players, they grabbed their clubs and golf balls and headed to level one. _

_Level One:_

_Sakura placed the ball on the bottom tee and got into position. Just as she was calculating her swing, Sasuke watched from behind and grunted in approval. Sakura glances behind her and then at her ball. Confused, she straightened up and raised a brow at him. "What?"_

_He smirked, "What?"_

_Licking her lips, she shot him a glare and rolled her eyes. She got back to focusing on her golf ball and swung her club back, out of Sasuke's way and swung forward, hitting the ball off the tee and letting it fly midway through the air only to hit the obstacle and bounce back at her. _

_Of course, having quick reflexes, she ducked out of the way and heard a surprise grunt. Turning around, her eyes widen as Sasuke's face twitched in annoyance. Bewildered at her golf skills, she questions Sasuke, worriedly. "What happened?"_

"_You suck." He growled; his lips managing to lift but failed and he frowned instead. _

_Sakura pouted and stood back up, "Where's my ball?"_

_Sasuke bit his lip and tossed her his golf ball, "Use mine instead. Be gentle though since you're a beginner."_

_X_

_Level Seven:_

_Sakura was beating Sasuke by two points. She was in the win and couldn't help but gloat. Waiting patiently for his turn, it was finally Sasuke's turn to go. Rubbing away a small headache forming, he got in position and swats the ball into the small tunnel of the obstacle, hitting the sides and rounding into the hole. Quick win Sasuke had. _

"_Lucky teme." Sasuke heard her mutter under her breath. He snorted; she's been hanging too much around Naruto to use that nickname on him._

_What she didn't know was whenever he had to attend one his father's meetings, it would always either be at an office or a golf course. He'd sometimes get so bored or frustrated, that he'd take it out on each and every golf balls in a cart._

_Snorting, he shook his head at her accusation and retrieved his ball then leading her to the next level. "Luck is for amateurs."_

_X_

_After having their small tournament of golfing, Sasuke had let Sakura win for the sake of their 'date' and possibly his manhood. Feeling bored and weary from their day of events, he led her through the park where a water fountain sat in the middle and tourists were walking around, taking pictures of each other or playing games at each of the entertainment booths. _

So since when did they start holding hands? Sakura thinks, turning her head from the window to see the top of Sasuke's head from the seat in front of her. Blinking, she tunes out everyone's chatter out and focuses her attention on Sasuke. What is he thinking of right now? Did he realize that he brought her along so they can hang with her friends, for the sake of their love game? Funny, they did hang with each other's friends but they didn't have the least thought of continuing the game.

Sighing, Sakura leans her side temple against the small window and feels the short vibration as the plane shifts lower in altitude.

"Hey, we're almost home!" Naruto shouts over everyone from across the aisle.

"Shut up Naruto, some people _are_ trying to sleep!" Shikamaru growls and hits Naruto upside the head. Naruto yelps.

Sakura smiles absentmindedly.

"Unlike you, everyone is wide awake!" Naruto's voice enters Sakura's mind, drawing sleep.

Shikamaru scoffs and groans aloud. Naruto's voice starts to fade as Sakura's eye lids fall close. Sighing albeit she feels the irony of Naruto's shouts making her sleepy, a change of scenery consumes her to silence.

_She was lying on the edge of his bed, half trying to keep herself up and somewhat falling to the floor as Sasuke hovers her, their lips connected. Sakura moves, hoping that he didn't think she was encouraging him to deepen the kiss. Shaking off the feeling of closing her eyes, Sakura squeals into the kiss, her arms knocking onto Sasuke's shoulder. But he doesn't budge from her attempts. His lips move slowly with rhythm, his tongue licking her bottom lip. _

_Feeling her cheeks tinge with heat, Sakura lies uncomfortably on the arch of the bed, Sasuke's close body not helping her defense. Breathing through her lips, she yanks her head to the side, letting heavy breaths flow from between them. Sasuke doesn't seem faze, as if he was experienced with stealing kisses from girls by force. Although she's sure most of the girls from school that adore Sasuke wouldn't mind having their first kiss stolen by the Uchiha. _

_Feeling her stomach do a flip, Sakura slows her breath and glares at Sasuke. "You- won't get- away- with this!"_

_Sasuke crushes his chest against her, pushing her back down on the bed and yanking her wrists up and over her head. He smirked as Sakura's eyes widen a fraction before it was covered with Sasuke smothering her with butterfly kisses down her chin to her neck and across her collarbone. She held her breath, trying to yank her hands away from his grasp. "Get off me!" _

_She jerked her knee up but Sasuke seemed to be smarter in these types of situations; he blocked her legs by pushing his own knee in between her thighs. Sakura screams in frustration, "This is rape, Sasuke!"_

_"It's not." He muttered, pausing from planting another kiss on her neck. Of course it wasn't rape unless you enjoy it. In this case, this kiss was a gentle one like an actual butterfly landing on her skin. No, wait, what was she thinking! She didn't like him or his experience with kisses— there was no way she'd give him the satisfaction of giving in. _

"_Forced rape!" She shouted but before she could continue her defense, Sasuke captures her lips in another deep kiss, preventing her to make anymore noises. His lips were smacking against hers; where is Naruto when she needed him? Wait; then again if he comes and sees this— she'll never live it down. "Mm." She hums into the kiss, feeling the breath knock out of her. She swears her face was winning against her hair color before he gives her a break for air. _

_Turning her face away, her chest heaving for oxygen, she glares at him as his other hand starts caressing her cheek. WHOA, HOLD UP! Since when did he let go of one of her wrists? Why didn't she notice that one of her arms was slacking or free? This was her chance, she swiftly moved her arm but it too was surprisingly locked in his other grip. No! Huffing, she narrows her eyes in slits and threats him, "I'll scream."_

"_I'm sure you will." He lifts his face and smirks at her choice of words, nonetheless a weak threat that has failed even before she had the chance to blink. She gaped at his perverted thoughts started to surface. Was this his true colors? Mad that he was underestimating her, she opened her mouth to hack out a scream but again— to prevent his amusement from ending too soon, he bit down on her bottom lip.___

_She bucked her hips up, regretting as soon as she did it. His eyes widen, surprised at her actions as his grip on her loosened. This was her chance! She swallowed and quickly pushed him off, her hand covering her mouth. She scrambled away from him and ran out his bedroom, slamming his door with immense strength she can muster. _

"Sasuke- swear- Sakura's face- cherry bomb- whimper- sleep!" Voices piled on top of each other. Sakura's eyes flung open at the sight of her girl friends hovering around her seat and Sasuke sitting adjacent to her.

"What?" Sakura announced to everyone she's awake, "What's going on?"

Ino stuck her tongue out at Sasuke and reached over the seat Sasuke had preoccupied earlier and patted Sakura's head, "That's what we want to know."

Raising a brow in confusion, Sakura brushes Ino's hand off her head and turns to Sasuke and the rest of her friends. "Huh?"

"Well, Sakura chan, you were whimpering in your sleep like you were having a nightmare." Hinata chimed in, her face filled with concern for her pinkette friend.

"What is it, Saks?" TenTen blinked hovering over the middle of Sasuke and Sakura, "Do you remember still?"

Sakura's lips parted in realization that she's been reacting consciously than in her reverie. Oh, kami! She gulps and averts her gaze from Ino who had a determine face of wanting to know the truth, next to her sat Temari with a curious expression, her brows raised in suspicion, to Hinata who sat across the aisle, her face filled with concern and adjacent to her Sasuke, paying no mind to her and TenTen who was hovering over her seat, anxious to know what she was thinking of. "Uh… no."

Ino narrows her eyes at Sakura, not believing her, "Are you sure?"

Sakura blinks and nods, shaking the feeling of Sasuke's lips lingering on hers, "Definitely."

Hinata sighs in relief and smiles softly at Sakura, "That's good. I was really worried."

Sasuke slumped in his seat, pulling his iPod out of his pocket and scrolled through his playlist. Temari sighs and turns back around in her seat. TenTen pouted, "Bummer, Sakura, you're a party pooper!"

"Sorry, Ten," Sakura shifts and sits on one leg, turning her attention to TenTen, "I'd remember if I didn't wake to loud noises, debating my sleep-talk."

TenTen laughs nervously and nudges Sakura's back, "Sorry Sakura."

Sakura glances at Hinata whose attention was now focused on a loud, snoring blond. Sweat dropping at the irony, she turns back to Ino who deepens her frown at her, her eyes averting from Sakura's to Sasuke's then back. She wasn't convinced, Sakura knew, but this was something she couldn't tell Ino no matter what. It was just too embarrassing, too deep for her to spill.

Once Ino and TenTen goes back to what they were doing in their own appropriate seats, Sakura found out that Sasuke got kicked out from his seat so that Ino could sit to Temari and TenTen switched seats with Hinata so that she could sit with Naruto and Ten could sit with Hinata's cousin, Neji. It was a good match.

So here Sasuke sat beside her, listening to his music while Sakura sat there quietly, her ridden reverie still in her mind. She blushed madly at the thought of, what if she really did enjoy his lips on hers? It was sort of in a way, erotic how he kissed her. She never been kissed before, by any guy except Sasuke, and the way he kissed was new to her. That brought up the question, did he kissed before? If so, who? Who would be daring to kiss Uchiha Sasuke?

"Sakura, stop raping me with your eyes."

Sakura blinks, breaking her gaze in space and sees Sasuke's hard gaze on hers, a smirk planted on his lips. Sakura's face brightens. She gasps, surprised. "W-who would want to rape you… stupid Sasuke?"

Widening his smirk, he leans forward on the arm rest towards Sakura's face. Feeling her face glow red, she held it back as her eyes searched Sasuke's onyx eyes for some weakness that he was playing with her. He moves forward, his hand against the side of her cheek bringing it forward past his face as he chuckles into her ear, "You."

Sakura hears him chuckle again and she curses the fact that she had released her immense blush. He probably felt the heat radiating off her cheeks against the palm of his hand or he could probably see her ears turning bright red.

"Eh! Hey, Sakura, your face is redder than a tomato!" Naruto announces, apparently had woken up since she was in a daze, maybe.

At this, Sakura fumes in embarrassment as Sasuke draws back at snickers at her reaction. She turns away, her bangs falling in her face to hide her discomfort. "Baka, he was just telling me a joke."

"Oh? I want to hear it teme!" Naruto jumped in his seat, his voice booming as a couple students yelled at him to shut up. "Tell me later then, teme and don't forget!" Naruto shouts before sitting still and keeping quiet to everyone's amazement.

Sasuke snickers and slumps in his seat. Sakura sighs and lifts a hand to her face. "Joke huh?" Sakura hears Sasuke laugh quietly, "Psh, not if it's true."

Kami must have some grudge against her or something.

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Kami must really have some grudge against her because when Sakura got home, Tsunade was furious from her unexpected leave and grounded her that whole week.

"_Do you know how worried I was?" Tsunade barked loudly at Sakura, pulling her aside. Sakura jerked away and crossed her arms. "I was looking frantically for you; I thought you ran away or something!"_

_Sakura rolled her eyes, "You're overreacting again."_

"_And so if I am?" Tsunade knitted her brows together. She stepped towards Sakura who took a step back, "I'm your guardian and I have a right to overreact when I find a child I'm entrusted to, disappear! How does that make me feel?! And what about your parents, what will they think, say?"_

_Sakura licked her lips and glared at the floor, "Nothing if you don't tell them."_

"_Oh gladly," Tsunade scoffed, placing her hands on her hips and glare at Sakura sternly, "If they didn't already get suspicious. They were calling all weekend for you— oh kami, for crying out loud, Sakura! Why can't you be a good, obedient child and just tell me what you want!"_

_Sakura snaps her attention up, "Space, I want space! Stop bringing up my parents during dinner or whenever I'm alone with you. Stop criticizing about my friends—"_

"_Since when have I-" Tsunade interrupted, gaping at her accusations against her. _

"_I want privacy! Space, privacy, understanding?" Sakura shouts, her hands raised in frustration. "What more can I want?"_

"_Love?" _

_Sakura doesn't speak as the word 'love' sinks into her head, her heart. What nerve! She shakes her head, angry that her parents were evolving around this argument, like usual. _

"_My friends…"_

"_Your friends will leave you in the end… they can't love you like your parents do-" Tsunade speaks, her voice mild with emotion. _

"_Like my parents left me all those years ago?" Sakura spoke up above a whisper, "They never came back here…just once to visit me… why now?"_

_Tsunade steps forward, gripping Sakura's shoulder and shook her so that she can look up at her. "They might not have showed it over," "No, let me go-!" "Over the years because they were extremely busy. They trust you still to love them," Sakura struggles against her godmother's hold. "To support them while they build a new foundation for you- listen to me! So when they come for you, their love and your love will intertwine again." _

"_I don't want their love!" Sakura shouts but is silenced by a loud slap._

"_Don't say that!" Tsunade yells at her, her hand in mid air, "Don't ever say that!"_

_Sakura touches the sting on her cheek, her eyes widen at the fact that her godmother had just slapped her! She swallows and realizes late that tears sprung from her eyes and was sliding down her face. _

"_You have no idea, NO IDEA how much they struggled for you!" Tsunade shouted, her voice ringing through the house. "Working all those years just so you can live a fruitless life so that you won't have regrets later in life; they only want the best for you!"_

_Sakura tears away from her hold and hugs herself, "Not good enough."_

_What about her feelings? Did her parents consider her feelings? No, so why should she consider theirs? They already lost her trust in them, their love, what more can they offer? Money, she doesn't need. Family, she already has seeing that her friends are accountable for her ex-parents. She doesn't need them! She doesn't want their love! Turning on her heel, she stomps out of the room she and Tsunade was in. _

"_Where are you going now, Sakura?!" Tsunade raises her voice filled with frustration and exhaustion from arguing with her god-daughter. "Do not walk away from me when I'm talking! Do have respect for your elders, Saki!"_

_Sakura stomps her foot on the first step of the staircase. She swiftly turns and glares at Tsunade, "Don't call me that! I'm not a child anymore; I can take care of myself!"_

"_You are still a child in this house, throwing tantrums and acting immature!" Tsunade yells from below the stairs. _

_Sakura screams loudly in frustration, her voice bouncing off the walls and echoing through the staircase. "You're provoking me!"_

"_I don't want to hear this!" Tsunade argued, raising her hand and pointing to the ceiling, "Go to your room, you're grounded for a month! I want you to think about what we discussed and when you're ready to come down, by then you'll reconsider."_

_Locking her jaw, Sakura stomps up the stairs, "To sum it all up, I'll be grounded 'a week' since my parents will be coming to pick me up after the school's festival!" Sakura makes it to the top step and shouts down to her guardian, "And by then, I'll be out of your hair and won't be under your jurisdiction!"_

"_I have no time for this; to your room!" Tsunade yells to Sakura. Sakura rolls her eyes and stomps away. "Learn some respect while you're at it!"_

_Sakura groans loudly and slams her bedroom door close. _

X

X

The days fly pass since Tsunade grounded Sakura from doing pretty much anything, outing with her friends— to be precise, that isn't school related. Finally, it's the start of a new day, the start of KLH Spring Festival that Sakura's class decided on a maid café for the theme of France. Since Sasuke was in a different class, his class's theme was displayed around cosplay.

The school gates opened early that morning and all the students involved had prepared all the booths and flyers for customers and families to enter.

"Welcome!" Students buzzed, greeting people that come to visit KLH's festival. "Please enjoy; we have refreshments, entertainment, and activities to share with everyone!"

The crowd started to enlarge after an hour or so and each classroom was themed differently, competing against other student's classes— tallying how popular each theme class was.

"Ino!" TenTen retorted, pulling away from Ino, "Stop, I am **not **going outside in this outfit!"

"Looking good, TenTen!" A sophomore from one of TenTen's classes complimented while walking by.

Ino had made most of their class's preparation for the festival like renting forty eight hours of café costumes. Ino was wearing a shimmer of baby blue dress that stopped at the thigh, a white heart shaped apron over her dress and her blond hair was let down complimenting her sea blue eyes. On the other hand, Temari who was dressed in a similar dress but purple and Hinata in an orange clad dress with a black belt had to force down TenTen while Ino dressed her in a red-knee length dress and a white lace apron over it. Ino made sure that Ten's hair was let down also, but curled on the side over Ten's shoulder.

"Come on, Teni!" Ino pulled Ten's arm as she rounded the corner, bumping into a group of seniors. "Sorry."

"No way!" TenTen gripped her hands into fists, her face blazing with embarrassment as they did cat calls at them.

"I'd tapped that." Another senior announced in his supposed 'sexy' voice. TenTen stomped her foot and glared at the senior before getting up— well down in his face.

"What was that pipsqueak?" TenTen growled, holding up a fist, her eye brow twitching. Ino gasp and encourages her not to do anything rash.

He held up his hands and smirked, eyeing ten from her face and down her dress, "Feisty, I like that about girls."

"Hey! Face up here!" Huffing, Ten was about to launch a punch but before she could, a tall mass of long brown hair blocked her vision and a voice she grown so familiar with threatened the senior. She watched as the senior scurried off, scared.

"Uh, thank you, Neji." TenTen spoke in defense.

Neji turns and nods at her, having the chance to eye her outfit but kept his opinions to himself. "Ten, you are requested to assist Sakura and Shikamaru at room 3."

She then notices him dressed as a general, something like that officer from Okinawa. She nods slowly and turns to go voluntarily, leaving Ino and Neji to make sure she goes where she goes.

"You got the hots for her." Ino taps her chin, thinking aloud. Neji flinches and glares at Ino. "Even I couldn't get her to be obedient." She giggles and runs after TenTen, leaving Neji to fend for his self.

X

X

Naruto slowly retreats from the puff of smoke that wafted in the culinary room. He done it again, pranking people that challenged his smarts. He grinned from ear to ear and skipped towards the stair case that led to his class. Humming happily, he almost didn't see the flustered Hyuuga whom was dressed in an orange maid dress with a black belt complimenting her petite waist and was carrying a tray with three bowls of ramen on it.

"Eh, Hinata chan?" Naruto rounded beside her, "Where are you carrying those to?"

Hinata bit her lip in surprised and glanced up at her blonde crush. "Um, to room three; Sakura needs assistance."

Naruto nods like he understood but his mind was clearly clouded with the smell of ramen, "But that's ramen noodles you're carrying."

"Oh, uh yes." Hinata breathed slowly, feeling her chest tighten at the close proximity Naruto was beside her. "A party of ten entered, asking the special order on the menu."

"Ramen?" Naruto walked her down to room three, "Why ramen? I thought everyone agreed ramen was banned."

Hinata smiled softly at him, "Yes, well I offered that our customer service had to be satisfactorily."

Nodding seriously, they stopped outside the room where Hinata was heading to. "Well, maybe when you're free, you and me can eat some ramen?"

Hinata's face flushed at his offer and nodded slowly, "S-sure."

"Great!" Naruto grins, sliding open the door for Hinata to walk through. "Oh and you look really cute in orange, Hinata chan." He said before walking away.

"Ehh!" Hinata's face blew up, her tray teetering if it wasn't for TenTen appearing and catching the tray with her quick reflexes.

"Great timing, Hinata!" TenTen smiled, holding the tray in one hand and glancing at the flush Hyuuga, "Whoa, Hinata, why is your face red?"

X

X

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighs and throws his uniform coat off and loosening his tie that Temari had tied professionally for him. "When did I ever agree to this?"

"Oh stop your complaining." Temari stood up from picking up the broken glass that a senior had dropped earlier. "You're not really doing anything, to be exact."

Shikamaru sighs again and takes the shards from Temari and dumps it into the trash. She leans back onto the wall and watches as the lazy guy walks over to the window and sits at a desk. Pressing her lips in a firm line, she makes her way to him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She asks, her brows furrowing. She leans against the window and peers down at him.

"I'm bored." He speaks, rolling his eyes stubbornly. "How long do we have to keep this up?"

Temari licks her bottom lip, "One more day left and it'll be all over and then you can go back to your old habits again."

Clearly, she didn't catch what he was referring to. Shaking his head, he takes her wrist and pulls her over the desk. Gasping at the pull, her lips brushed passed his cheek. Breathing heat in her ear made her shiver. "Shika-"

"Temari, let me just have this moment." He rests his head on her shoulder, making her tense up at his actions.

Feeling that something was up, she looks around the room, the clock ticking slowly. The others might be wondering where she's at— hopefully they won't come looking for her and finding this. Swallowing, Temari realizes Shikamaru has been a little too quiet since he last spoke. "Uh, Shikamaru?"

Grabbing his arm, she pushes him slightly away and letting his head roll forward. His eyes were closed and a small snore erupted through his lips. Sweat dropping, Temari gazes down at the tired, lazy boy. "Ugh… troublesome."

X

X

"Welcome to our KLH Spring Festival!" Kiba announced in his dog trainer's suit.

The couple smiles gently at the boy and greeted him with a flyer. The man had maroon; slightly silver (due to old age) hair shaped like a star— as if he got out of bed and walked out the door without fixing it. Kiba snickers inwardly, almost like Sasuke's hair. Beside him, the woman giggles at her husband; she had golden blond hair, short and easy to manage. "Sorry, my husband is a bit excited. Can you please direct us to Principal Tsunade please?"

"Oh sure!" Kiba grinned and bowed respectively to the couple, "While heading to our headmaster's office, would you like me to give you a small tour around?"

"Sure!" The man offered, smiling at the boy. Kiba then started on their small tour around the festival, explaining to the couple why their school decided to do its theme on France.

They headed straight into the east wing of the school where Kiba accidentally bumped into Sasuke who was dressed in a black butler suit. "Whoa, Uchiha watch your step, okay?"

Sasuke grunted and nodded respectively at the couple who smiled at him. "Aa; excuse me."

"SASUKE!" Ino's loud voice shouted from above the stairs. The couple and Kiba looked up at the caller. "Don't think you can escape me!"

Sasuke bowed at the couple and started out the door just when Ino reached the bottom step. Kiba, blinking at the confusion stood with the couple and stared at Ino in her blue maid outfit. "Ino, what's wrong?"

Ino blinks, realizing her boy friend standing there and smiles at him, "Oh, you know Sasuke… thinking this is a waste of time."

"Ha, sounds like Shikamaru." Kiba chuckles and gasps, turning to the couple, "Sorry, I was momentarily distracted."

"Mrs. Haruno? Mr. Haruno?" Ino exclaims, her mouth dropping from seeing Sakura's parents standing before her, "What are you doing here?"

"You know them, Ino?" Kiba let on surprised and confused. "Now, that you mentioned it… their last name sure does sound like Sakura's…"

Mr. Haruno sweats drops as Mrs. Haruno simply smiles. Ino stood there giving Kiba a dull look with one arm on her hip. "Kiba," She spoke, making Kiba raise a brow at her, "**They** _are_ Sakura's parents. DUH!"

"Oh, Ino chan, you've grown!" Mrs. Haruno smiles, reaching out and taking Ino's hands into hers, "How are you?"

"It sure has been awhile, I'm fine." Ino smiles and winks at Mr. Haruno, "Gee, Mr. Haruno, you seem not as tall as I remember you used to be."

Mr. Haruno snorts, "That's because you shrunk early, kiddo."

Ino scowls, "Ha-ha, you were always the joke of the family."

Mr. Haruno's eyes flashed at Ino, his temper flaring. Before he could retort, Mrs. Haruno jumped in, breaking the feud between her husband and Ino. "Right, let us introduce ourselves! My name is Haruno Mebuki and this is my husband, Haruno Kizashi— nice to meet you Kiba."

Kiba bows his head shooting them a smile, "Nice to meet you too. Sorry for earlier, as you can see everyone is busy to prepare but we're almost to Principal's Tsunade's office."

Ino's smile slacks at the mention of their principal, "Oh! She's making rounds but you can wait in her office, I'm sure she'll be back before you can say Naruto's whole name."

"Naru-" Kiba started.

"NARUTO UZAMAKI! WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Tsunade's loud voice echoed through the corridors, almost shaking the whole school grounds.

Everyone sweat drops. Mebuki laughs nervously, "That's our Tsunade…" Ino shakes her head slowly and sighs, "Spoke too soon… shall we?"

X

X

X

Meanwhile, on the west side of the school where room three was located, Sakura was cleaning tables, bending over to pick up scraps on the floor and throwing them in the trash behind her. A whistle is heard behind her, "Pink panties ten o'clock!"

Sakura rolls her eyes, not looking at the pervert. He didn't have to say it out loud because clearly he's a fool and the panties she was wearing today was not matching her hair color. Continuing on her way, Sakura goes through the door and walks down to the culinary room looking for more jobs to take on. On her way, she spots Sasuke strolling towards her, a tomato in hand.

As she got closer, she snatches the tomato from his hand, making him turn on his hand and glare at her. She paused mid step and swirls around, grinning at him. "Slacking on the job, eh?"

"No Sa-ku-ra," Sasuke's eye catches Sakura's black maid outfit with a white heart shaped apron, "I'm on break."

Rolling her eyes, she slides her thumb on the tomato. "Hm, where'd you get the tomato?"

It was Sasuke's turn to roll his eyes as he takes a step forward towards Sakura, "Home. And no, I did 'not' slack off by going home to get _one _tomato and head back to school."

Sakura closes her mouth after he finishes. She lifts the tomato to her lips, huffing hot breath on it. "Looks good, I think my break's coming up."

Sasuke takes another step towards Sakura, his cheek twitch as he watches Sakura brush her lips on his fruit. "Get your own."

Sakura grins against the fruit and flutters her eyes at him, "What are you going to do butler boy? Scream bloody murder?"

Sasuke steps closer, nearing Sakura's personal bubble. "I think that's your job."

Sakura narrows her eyes and purses her lips. Glaring at Sasuke, she took a bite out of the tomato just to intimidate Sasuke. She smirked as her lips fell close.

Before she could blink or even chew, Sasuke pounced on her, grabbing her hand that held the fruit and capturing her lips with hers. Surprised, Sakura gasped, feeling stupid that her plan backfired. Taking advantage of her stun state, Sasuke deepens the kiss and slips his tongue in and only to scoop the bite of tomato and insert it in his mouth before chewing.

Her eyes widen at his sudden action and she was sure he could literary feel her blushing hard. She felt him smirk against her lips and before she could breathe a second too soon, Sakura punched Sasuke's chest making him flinch.

Sasuke glares at Sakura and grabs her flailing arms, "Stop, Sakura."

"Why should I? You owe me this for- for taking away another kiss!" Sakura turns her face away.

Sasuke locks his hands around her wrist and takes a closer step towards her. Sakura narrows her eyes up at him, "And this isn't about the game either… I don't know… what game? We haven't been playing the love game recently, haven't you noticed?"

Sasuke sighs and rests his head on her forehead, "I wouldn't say that. We still have one more rule to play."

Sakura blinks, "What, the kiss that already counted long ago? Which reminds me, who was your first kiss?"

Sasuke lets go one of her wrists and wraps his arm around her petite waist and sighs, "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm going to show you a special way to kiss someone."

Sakura presses her lips together, so that Sasuke wouldn't get a chance to show her. He holds back a chuckle and reaches up to caress her porcelain face. "In a way, if you think about it, you stealing my tomato… is sort of a provocative way in making me… kiss you more."

Sakura furrows her brows, "I p-provoke you?"

Sasuke uses his index finger to tilt her chin up so that her emerald eyes locked onto his onyx eyes. "Aa." He leaned down, her lips looking vulnerable and plush pink.

Since when, she wondered, did she intimidate him? Was he doing this on purpose to make her fall in love with him more? Wait, no— she doesn't love him! But the flutter in her chest tells her otherwise as their lips are a few inches away from each other. "I- Sasu-," He probably wanted her more than she wanted him, oh heck— when will their stupid game end?

Suddenly standing on her tip toes, her lips smacked into his. Widening his eyes in surprised, Sakura quickly closed her eyes— not wanting Sasuke to see the desperation in her jade orbs. Fisting her hands on his chest, she pulled him down to her height so that she didn't have to strain her toes.

She was taking action now, making the initiation to silence Sasuke speechless. Indeed he was and yet as he moved his lips against hers, she couldn't help but melt into their kiss— his arms bringing her closer and her own arms wounding around his neck, her hands raking into his dark, jet black hair.

Time was passing, wind rushed past her neck as Sasuke leaned against the wall adjacent to the window. Sakura opens her eyes to see Sasuke's eyes closed in return. She smiled inward as she noticed he had long black eye lashes which seemed lovely to her.

She wondered if anyone was questioning about them, where were they when they needed help? Here on the top floor of the west wing, right in the middle of the corridor between room three and the culinary room… which reminded her, where were people crossing them? Not one of them haven't come out or walked past them for the last ten minutes they stood there.

"Sakura…" He moaned into the kiss, startling her. What was that sound he made? Did he really enjoy the kiss she planted on him? He licked her lip, asking for entrance. Did she want him to? _Yes. _She slowly parted her lips and he took the opportunity to search her heated cavern.

They breathed roughly against each other's faces as he pulled her any closer he can get, tongue battling against hers, his hands rubbing against her lower back. Grabbing his hair in fists, he arched her neck and breathed through her nose. Smack noises were heard as their kiss became intense. When she opened her eyes for a split second, she thought this moment was a mere dream, everything was going bleary and the scenery outside the window was fading— a maroon star shape object passed by the court yard, something unclear was knocking on the door of Sakura's mind.

Finding it slightly funny, Sakura couldn't help but chuckle into their kiss as she thought more on the start shape object. What could it be? Why maroon? It almost reminded her like someone she knew or something… almost peculiar like… _dad. _

As if she was in outer space, with no oxygen to save her, Sakura's eyes snapped open. Was the world tilting or did she really see her dad outside the window? She looked again and for sure, she saw a man with maroon star shaped hair.

"Sasuke?" Sakura lowly gasps against his lips. She jerked her grip around his neck down as they slid to the ground, below the ledge of the window, out of sight. "Kami, Sasuke!"

If that was really her parents below, then they must be looking for her! Why are they here, early, in a matter of fact? Didn't her godmother say that they were coming to get her after the school's festival? What about the game— now that she thought about it, will this be the end? She fell for Sasuke; she lost the love game! And now that her parents are here to take her away, she won't ever come back to see her friends or even Sasuke. She swallows.

Startled at her outburst, Sasuke peers at Sakura in concern, "What is it?"

Sakura clenches his costume in fists as she glares unsurely at his chest, "I- My parents are here."

Sasuke takes a breath, confused. What did her parents have to do with stopping her from kissing him? Sakura lets out a shaky breath, "I don't want to… but… they'll be looking for me."

"Sakura, slow down." Sasuke exhales and places a reassuring hand on Sakura's fists, "What's going on?"

Sakura shakes her head and feels her chest tighten as her eyes start to water, "I- I can't. The ga-game— I forfeit, surrender, white flag!"

What? What is she talking about? Is she breaking the game? What does this have to do with the game anyway? He didn't care about the game right now; all he cares about is why Sakura was making a big deal out of this. "Sakura, I don't understand, what is going on?"

"I love you." She burst, tears running down her face.

X

X

X

"Mebuki," Kizashi tapped his wife's shoulder, bringing her attention from Tsunade to him.

"What is it, Kizashi?" Mebuki blinked, curious to her husband's behavior.

"I thought I saw our daughter." Kizashi spoke; turning back to the window he was looking previously and saw no one there. Sighing, he turned back to Tsunade, "Our daughter didn't dye her hair a different color did she, Tsunade?"

"If she did, I'd know." Tsunade chuckles at the couple, giving Kizashi a weird look. "Well, Sakura _is_ working in room three, the west wing building you were staring at."

"I see!" Kizashi nodded, noting he wasn't going crazy. He reaches up and rakes his mustache as he smiles at his wife and friend.

"_But_, Sakura likes to be a little over achiever and helps out with anything she can take on." Tsunade states stubbornly, knowing that Sakura wants to avoid her as best as possible. Sighing, she rubs her temple, "She can be anywhere in the school, but don't worry, I can send someone to get her or just call her to my office."

Mebuki nods understanding, "I'm sure she'll be happy to see us again."

"Yes," Tsunade agrees, thinking back to her and Sakura's latest argument, "This time you'll be together once again."

Kizashi pouts, "I miss my baby girl!"

Mebuki snorts, "She not your baby girl no more, from the pictures Tsunade sent us, she has grown into a beautiful young lady."

_Young lady my foot! Sakura is beyond a lady, _Tsunade thinks, smiling instead of speaking her mind.

"Mind you, it's been awhile since you last spoke to her. She might not show her… happiness upfront, but deep down, she's ready to burst." Tsunade lied, smiling at Sakura's parents.

"Understandable!" Mebuki and Kizashi smiles gently and continue on their way with Tsunade in the lead.

X

X

X

"I won't let you." Sasuke hugs Sakura from behind her. Sakura struggles against his hold.

"I- I have to…" Sakura cries, tearing away from Sasuke and turns around to him, her teary eyes searching his eyes. "It's over! Once I go with my parents overseas, I won't be coming back…"

"But you don't want to!" Sasuke snapped, digging his claws into Sakura's arm, "All those nights, crying in the bathroom and running the bath so no one will hear your cries? Or how loud you and Tsunade argue about your parents? Is that it? Because tell me I'm wrong, that you don't want to see your parents now!"

"I- I," Sakura stutters, seeing that Sasuke pointed out all the given truth she's been holding back all these years.

"Sakura?" Ino's voice rang through the halls and soon enough Ino and Kiba appear behind her.

"Uchiha, what's wrong with Sakura?" Kiba breathed hard from running all those steps, racing Ino to find Sakura.

Ino ran to Sakura's side, and placing her hand on Sakura's shaking shoulder, "Sakura, what happened? Did Sasuke hurt you? What's wrong?"

"It's over, Ino." Sakura purses her lips, tasting the salt from her tears, "The game is over."

"What?" Ino exhales a gasp, confused to what the hell was going on.

Sakura shakes her head and burst new tears. Kiba walked forward and knelt down to the trio's heights. "Sakura, your parents are here to see you."

Sakura hic cups and nods, "I know. I have to go, Sasuke."

Sasuke's grip didn't loosen as he glared at Sakura, wanting her to admit the truth. She was crying, for goodness sake! If she leaves with her parents, overseas, she's not coming back for a simple visit— he won't ever see her again… no, he can't let that happen, he'll see her in the future, he'll find her; he'll make sure of that. Locking his jaw, he clicked his tongue.

Not knowing what was going on, Ino and Kiba tried to free Sakura from Sasuke's grasp. Why was Sakura crying? Why isn't Sasuke letting go? Did he do something to Sakura to keep her silent? Sakura's parents are here, why doesn't she look relieved, happy? Why does she look like her world is coming to an end? "Sasuke, let go, man."

"No," Sasuke began, pushing Kiba off him and pulling Sakura in his embrace. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and shoulders, his voice muffled, "I lost, as well."

Sakura swallowed, ceasing her tears from falling, "W-what?"

Sasuke looks up and uses his thumb to brush a tear away from slipping down her eye, "I love you, Haruno Sakura."

Sakura sat there, stunned while their two friends sat back on their heels, dumbfounded by Sasuke's confession as well. Ino stands up immediately and speeds down the hallway out of sight. Kiba's eyes widen, what was that?

"The game has ended, our love rivalry has ended, and so will our newfound love." Sakura whispers disappointingly, "We followed all the rules in a completely different route but…" She shakes her head, trying to get her thoughts straight, "how is it that I've fallen in love with you?"

Kiba looks between the two rivals, well lovers, bewildered. Sasuke loosens his hold and chuckles, "That…if you look closely at the small print at the bottom of the contract, I added before signing the agreement; it says, 'Love Game' is voided only on weekends!"

Sakura blinks and stands, half bent because Sasuke still held onto her hands. "What?"

Now that she thinks about it, Sasuke didn't take her out that first time to the kiddie's park because of the game. Sasuke didn't walk her home, texted her each weekend because of the game either. How did she miss that? Did she not notice his true kindness outside of school, work, and her home? What about those times she cried alone at night, in the bathroom? He noticed and cared for her— by showing his façade in a rude way, getting her to forget her weak side. He knew, he noticed, he cared all that time?

"You knew, but you didn't say anything?" Sakura licked her lips, flabbergasted at Sasuke's previous behavior. She yanked her hands apart from Sasuke's and pulled away.

"Sakura…" Sasuke started, reaching forward.

"You knew…" Sakura whispered, "I- I have to go."

She spun on her heel and ran down the hall. Sasuke, getting up and about to run after her was tackled down by Kiba, "Let her go, she needs this!"

"You know **nothing!**" Sasuke yelled at Kiba, knocking him away, "She doesn't _need _this!"

Getting up, he sped down the corridor, his eyes searching rooms in which Sakura could have gone to. Feeling heartbroken, Sasuke growls loudly and kicks the wall, sending a few heads his way.

X

X

X

"Mother," Sakura knocks onto Tsunade's office door, wiping her tears away and entering, "Father?"

Three heads turned to see Sakura poking her head in Tsunade's office. Tsunade's smile slackens as she views Sakura's disheveled appearance. "Sakura, what happened to you?"

Sakura opens the door widely and steps in the room. She was catching her breath from running down the stairs of the west wing and running to Tsunade's office. Now standing in front of her parents, she was feeling overwhelm. Her parents weren't as young as they were before they left; they had wrinkles— maybe her godmother was right, they were struggling for her benefit. Should she give her the benefit of the doubt?

She leans weakly against the open door and forces a smile, "I… I'm- you're early."

Mebuki smiles at her daughter, a twinkle in her eye, "Surprise?"

Kizashi stands up and strolls to his daughter, taking her into a big bear hug, "We've missed you, Saki!"

"_Did you miss me?"_

"_I t-thought you go-ot lost!" Her voice was muffled from his shirt. _

_Sakura heard a quiet snort that slipped from Sasuke lips, "Me? No need, I found you instead."_

Sakura's arms were limp, her face numb from crying earlier. She felt another pair of arms wrap around her. "It's been so long since we've last held you in our arms like this; now that you're here, we're complete… we don't have to feel lonely anymore."

Sakura's eyes flickered, her gaze meeting Tsunade's hazel eyes and all the thoughts and arguments that they both shared ran through her mind.

"_What, that you think your parents abandoned you?" Tsunade quirks a brow, giving Sakura a superior look. _

_Sakura gets up suddenly, her chair screeching as it was pushed back. "Didn't they?" The proof, she was here and where were her parents? How long have they been overseas? Did they visit her on her birthdays? Did they attend her parents' conferences? No! Where were they when she needed them most?_

"_No child." Her godmother looked up at her, seeing that Sakura was holding back hidden tears, "They have business to take care of overseas and it's all for you. They're doing this for you."_

So there's always two different parts to every story— it took her this long to realize that. Lowering her eyes, her parents finally let go and started discussing about their trip overseas and finally settling down with Sakura.

"_You have no idea, NO IDEA how much they struggled for you!" Tsunade shouted, her voice ringing through the house. "Working all those years just so you can live a fruitless life so that you won't have regrets later in life; they only want the best for you!"_

Sakura sat there, her head bowed, her eyes cast to her lap. She dug her nails into the palm of her hand, fisting, hoping that this was all just a dream. Wishing all those years ago she didn't wish to grow up faster, wishing that she could've met Sasuke earlier if she hadn't crumbled her Konoha Leaf Middle enrollment application, wishing- wishing- wishing… but she can't wish anymore, she can't change anything anymore now that her parents are here. They left her to do her bidding, creating a better life for her overseas and in return, she doesn't appreciates their hard labor and feels sorry for herself and more importantly, for them too.

"Sakura," Kizashi announced, catching Sakura's attention and points to his watch, "We have to get going now. Our plane comes in an hour and we have to beat the traffic."

Were they taking her with them? She didn't even pack her belongings yet, she didn't even say good bye to her friends, the people she's known most of her school life, and to Sasuke? What about Sasuke? Will she see him again? Will he still love her even when she's not living next door to him; have classes with him, teasing him, loving him back? She parted her lips but no words were audible to hear. She was speechless, stun and feeling weak all at the same time.

"Come on, hon," Mebuki motioned to the door. Sakura slowly stands her knees ready to buckle under her. "We have your ticket and passport ready."

**Ticket and passport. **They're prepared and there's nothing she can say to prevent her from leaving. She has to go with them; they are— after all, her parents. She caused so much trouble for Tsunade when she didn't believe that her parents were doing this only for her own good and now… she has to respect their decision, she has to obey because deep down, hidden and locked up was her heart knocking loudly at the door, screaming for longing and love. But is it for her parents? Or… is it for Sasuke?

She breathes out a heavy breath and nods, taking the first step towards the exit. They walked outside the room, outside the school and towards the school gates where a car was parked on the side; the same car Sakura's parents drove away in from when Sakura was little.

Kizashi walked to the side and opened the back door for Sakura to get in, "We're running out of time, Saki."

She felt like a prisoner, being handled and escorted into the police car. If life is going to be this cruel to her, what was she to offer? She nods sadly and silently gets in, her father closing the door after and getting into the driver's seat. Her mother smiles at her from the passenger seat; smiling weakly, she turns her attention out the window where Tsunade waves shortly as her dad starts up the car.

"Well, here we go." Kizashi announces and put the car to drive. The growling of the car reaches Sakura's ears and the jerk of it signals to her that they were moving, away from the gates and Tsunade and…

"SAKURA!"

_Sasuke? _Sakura turns her head and sees a figure in a black butler suit running after them, after her. "Sas- Dad, stop the car!"

"We can't, we'll be late." Kizashi stated, not noticing Sasuke running behind them.

"Kizashi, there's someone running behind us." Mebuki exclaimed, looking through her door's side mirror.

"Please dad, stop the car— I know him!" Sakura urged, unbuckling her seatbelt and ready to plunge out the car. With her phone in hand, she scrolls through the video options and selects record, one more video wouldn't hurt, right? A memorable video she can keep before she leaves… hopefully.

"Sak- what! Stop, what are you doing? We're still moving!" Kizashi stepped onto the brakes, slowing the car.

Once the car stopped, Sakura presses a button on her phone as she launches out the door, running half way to a hard breathing Uchiha and yet, to her surprise his suit wasn't drenched in sweat… which brings a memory in mind. "Sasuke?"

He stood up from where he was bent, catching his breath. Taking a step forward, he gave Sakura a crushing hug. "Wait for me, Sakura. That's all I ask."

Sakura tightens her arms around his back and buries her face in the crook of his neck and shoulders, "Of course!"

"Sakura, we're going to be late." Her dad called from the car, a frown replacing his previous mood.

"Be my girlfriend," Sasuke inhaled a huge breath and brushed his hand through her pink locks, "My real girlfriend."

Sakura's stomach does a flip and she can't help but feel her lips curving up. "Of course I will, Sasu-cakes!"

He chuckles softly, pulling his head away and gazing into her emerald-sea eyes. "I love you, Haruno Sakura."

Sakura smirks, "And I love you, Uchiha Sasuke."

"Sakura," Her dad's voice was stern now, "We're on a schedule you know." They could hear her mother cooing behind her and snapping at her father to quiet down.

Sasuke loosens his hold around Sakura's waist and kisses her forehead before replying quickly, "I'll come find you."

Sakura's eyes dazzled in adoration; this is how they're going to part, the end of every love story, huh? He, her prince riding his white stallion, proud and tall through a bloody battle field through hardships and burdens his family has cast upon him— being the mayor's son and all and then afterwards, he'll find her, the princess sleeping on a muddy hill, a tear ready to spill wondering when will she ever wake up from this never-ending dream. He'll awaken her with a kiss and then…

"We'll be the judge of that." Sakura laughs.

"It's a deal then." He smirks, knowing Sakura too well for her own good.

"As always." Sakura smiles up at him and then grabs his neck to bring him down so she could seal their deal with a kiss.

X

"_I'll be waiting." Sakura whispered, breaking away and running back to the car her parents were in. _

Sakura saves the video on her phone and smiles softly out the window of the plane as they ascended high above the clouds.

"Speaking of which," Sakura mutters aloud, "He never did tell me who his first kiss was."

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End

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A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed The Triumvirate Game: Trilogy to The Dare. Yes, I know it's over but remember what Sakura said in the story, "There's always two different parts of every story." So the question is, is this saga really over? Nah, it's just beginning.


End file.
